Just What I Needed
by Chicago Firestarter
Summary: What happens when fireman meets cop? Kelly Severide may have met his match with Detective Erin Lindsay. Will sparks fly or will their budding romance fizzle out? This won't be smooth sailing for squad's lieutenant, so hang on tight. Final chapter now up!
1. Chapter 1

**It looks like the show is going to pair up Severide with Detective Erin Lindsay from CPD. It could be interesting, seems like they have some chemistry. Here's my take on that pairing. Hope you enjoy.**

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"I'm happy to say that we only had to say goodbye to four recruits," said Kelly as he passed back the last major exam at the Fire Academy. "Some of you barely made it, but you did it. Congratulations." He gave Dawson a quick pat on the back as he gave her the test. He said "good job" to Jones as he handed her the most important paper test they would take. Yes, a 98 was amazing, better than everyone else. Maybe he had made a mistake wanting to get rid of her.

"Thank you, Instructor Severide," she said huge smile across her face obviously proud of her 98.

"No time to bask in the glory of passing. We're headed outside. Suit up. You've got five minutes."

Kelly headed to the smoking training building, stopwatch in hand. All the recruits were in position well within the five minutes. He'd paired them up the previous day and all were ready, lined up in order. Dawson was one of the first to go. What the hell is taking Jones and Dawson so long, he thought looking nervously at the seconds ticking by. They finally made it out, and he could breathe again.

Last pairing was Hanson and Diggs. Hanson was the guy Jones threw under the bus. Yes, he was overly nervous, but Kelly couldn't help but think of another nervous recruit named Darden who turned out to be one helluva firefighter.

"Go," he instructed watching Hanson already messing with his mask.

Five minutes in, Severide knew things weren't going well. Just how bad things were going to get, he had no idea. Hanson fell for the third time, but this time, his mask fell off. When Diggs tried to help him up, Hanson immediately went for his mask in full out panic mode. They struggled for a few seconds before Diggs called out.

"Mayday! Mayday!" he choked out.

"Shit!" Kelly passed off his clipboard and stopwatch to Dawson, threw on a turnout coat, grabbed a mask and headed up.

He found Hanson and Diggs both fighting for one mask. The other mask lay on the floor a few feet away. Kelly grabbed it and pressed it into Hanson's face, hard. The fallen recruit was still struggling, desperately taking deep inhales, eyes wide with fear. Severide signaled Diggs to start heading out while he practically carried Hanson out.

Dawson ran over to the three as soon as they exited the training facility.

"You okay?" she asked Kelly first. He nodded pointing at Diggs. Gabby checked the two other men. They'd sucked in a fair share of smoke, but they'd be okay.

"We're done for today," Kelly announced. "You two upstairs."

Back in the training room, Diggs told of how Hanson panicked, lost his mask, and grabbed for his.

Kelly took a deep breath. He knew what he had to do. He wished the man well, and sent him on his way, definitely not cut out for this line of work.

Jones and Dawson were still outside talking pretty seriously about something.

"Hey, Jones. You gotta minute?" called Kelly.

"Yes, sir," she said running over, hoping he wasn't going to bust her balls about something else.

"I wanted to apologize. You called it on Hanson. He wasn't cut out for this. Sorry I didn't listen." Kelly knew he had to say this, but he still didn't think Rebecca Jones was any less of a weasel for throwing a fellow recruit under the bus.

You would've thought he'd just asked her to prom. She skipped back to Dawson.

"He said he was sorry! I called it on Hanson!"

"I wouldn't read too much into this," warned Dawson knowing Kelly was just doing the stand up thing, admitting he was wrong. If he knew about the cheating, that would be a different story. "You can roll that tongue back in your mouth."

"Mark my words, I'm getting some of that when this class is over," said Jones watching Severide's car leave the parking lot.

"I wouldn't count on it," said Dawson to herself once she drove off.

Five texts from Shay, all with the same theme...come to Molly's, now. He texted her back saying he was dead to the world, just going home, shower and bed sounding so good.

Please. We haven't hung out in so long. I'm buying.

He knew that was true. They hadn't talked in a while, hadn't had fun in far too long. Since the Devon debacle, Shay spiraled out of control only recently coming back. He took a deep breath and texted he was on the way.

Kelly walked into the bar smiling at how crowded it was. It was becoming a favorite of firefighters around the city and the PD had started showing up as well. With any luck, this place was gonna make it. He scanned the tables, saw Antonio Dawson with some other cops, Gabby behind the bar with Hermann, Shay at the bar chatting it up with a pretty little blonde. Great. No one else from 51 there. No Cruz, Otis, Clarke. Nope, just Shay. At the bar. Obviously busy. He decided to say a quick hello then make his way home.

He nodded at Antonio as he passed the table, surprised when the cop grabbed his arm stopping him mid stride.

"Severide, let me buy you a beer. Gabby said you've been more than supportive. I can't thank you enough," he said pulling out a chair for Kelly to join him.

"No need for that. Your sister's a badass," laughed the lieutenant. "I think she could take on half the guys at the academy. She's gonna be a helluva firefighter."

He turned to the other cops at the table, both young. He recognized the guy as the one who brought down the thug trying to pinch Molly's. The other he didn't know, had never seen. A beautiful brunette with a face he would definitely remember. No, he'd never met her.

"Kelly Severide," he said, ever the gentleman, holding out his hand to the gorgeous female.

"Erin Lindsay," she said with a voice far too raspy for the angelic mouth that the words came from.

"Jay Halstead," said the other officer breaking the spell Kelly was under. Shit, was there anyone else even at the table?

"Uh, yeah, Gabby said you helped bust the loser who was squeezing some extra bucks out of this place."

Jay just shook his head not really liking the way this guy was looking at his partner. Worse yet, the way she was looking at him.

"Hey, I'm really sorry about Officer Willhite, was it?" said Kelly remembering the blonde who'd helped bring down Hallie's killer. He'd seen the reports on the news, the kids she'd left behind. He couldn't imagine. Gabby had taken up a collection at the house and mentioned how torn up Antonio was.

"Yes, Jules," said Erin quietly dropping her head. Jay shot him a look that said "way to bring down the room, asshole."

"Yeah, that's been a hard one," Antonio said patting Erin on the back. "Thanks for the collection from 51. We bought them enough groceries for the week."

Kelly didn't know what to say. They all looked like tears were coming any minute.

"I was actually heading home," he said finally, ready to get out of the uncomfortable situation.

"Well, nice to see ya," said Jay, just barely holding back the "don't let the door hit you on the way out" he was thinking.

"Nope. I'm buyin' you a beer," insisted Antonio getting up to fetch the drink.

As soon as Antonio plopped down Kelly's beer, he said he was leaving.

"When mama calls, daddy answers," he said laughing. "The missus said I better get my ass home, so I better do it. Thanks again, Severide."

"And then there were three," said Erin looking sadly at her empty beer bottle.

"Make that two, or one," said Jay getting up to leave. "I've watched Antonio's sister avoid eye contact with me long enough. Let's go, Linds."

"No, you go ahead. I wanna drink some more. I'll take a cab," Erin was going nowhere and Jay knew her well enough to figure there was no arguing.

Kelly nodded his head at Jay. "She'll get home safe, I'll make sure."

Jay looked skeptically at the fireman thinking that was what he was afraid of.

"Man, ya mention a dead cop's name and you clear a room quick," said Erin sadly.

"I'm sorry about that. Hey, can I get you another?" asked Kelly motioning to her empty bottle.

"Please."

When Kelly returned, the previously silent detective was nonstop talking. She'd wanted to talk about Jules for days, wanted to tell stories about her, wanted to stop pretending it hadn't happened, but no one she worked with would even mention her name.

Erin started with a story about how Jules didn't talk to her for a month when Lindsay joined their team. She only opened up when Erin told her to quit being such a bitch. Friends ever since. She talked about her kids left behind, her husband who she truly loved. Kelly couldn't help but think of Andy Darden, his boys.

"I know you don't wanna hear this, but it does get easier. Each day, a little easier." Kelly launched into his own stories of Darden, his goofy ways, how he made them all a little better. How much he missed him.

Before the pair knew it, the bar was closing. Shay was long gone, telling Kelly not to wait up.

"Call me a cab. Will you?" asked Erin playfully.

"I'm driving you home. Don't argue."

"My hero," she teased.

Kelly helped her out to his car not quite believing that this little thing was a cop. She shot at bad guys. Soaking wet she couldn't weigh more than 110. He laughed at the thought.

"What's so funny, hero?" Erin had a sneaking suspicion she was the brunt of his amusement, but too drunk to do anything about it.

She directed him to her house, a cute little brownstone with a whole lotta steps leading to the front door.

"This is my stop," she said trying to open the door.

"I'm walkin' you in," said Kelly running around to her side, opening her door and grabbing her firmly by the arm.

They navigated the steps, and she simply handed over her keys giving into the warm dizziness she felt throughout her body. He got her inside where she threw off her leather jacket and plopped on the couch. Nice place, he noted. Spotless, but somehow homey, a bookshelf jam packed, worn leather furniture that had a feminine touch, if that was even possible with leather.

He deposited her keys on the dining room table and made his way to the couch to say a quick goodbye.

"Help me with my boots," slurred the detective kicking out a leg toward Kelly.

He looked at those eyes and felt a stirring deep within. One he hadn't felt since Renee left. The sex he had with Zoya had been hot but purely physical. No deep conversations; she'd always had the look of a woman wanting something Kelly wasn't ready to give. The look this woman was giving him was different. I must be drunk, he thought laughing at himself.

He pulled her boots off gently as she leaned over to one side of the couch stretching her legs across the length of it. She grabbed his arm and pulled him toward her.

"Thanks for listening to me tonight, for letting me talk about Jules. Thanks for bringing me home," Erin pulled him closer, gently taking his face in her hands.

"Stay," she whispered closing her eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the kind words, faves, and follows. It means a lot to all us fanfic writers. Hope you like where I'm going. Enjoy!**

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As tempting as that one word was, Kelly knew he couldn't. He wouldn't "stay." Too much alcohol involved for that to happen. Way too much.

"I'd love to, believe me, I would, but I can't," he said grabbing her hands and taking them away from his face.

Erin was already rolling over on her side, eyes closed, letting sleep wash over her. She mumbled, "Thanks, Kelly."

He laughed softly figuring this would be the only time he'd lay eyes on her place, have her hands touching his face, hear her ask him to stay. He shook his head as he let himself quietly out of her home with regret deep within him.

Erin Lindsay woke up the next morning, splitting headache, not looking forward to a long day searching for some meth dealer who went by the name of Chuco, but also with her mind on a fireman. Squad's lieutenant at house 51. God, did I call him "hero" last night, she thought with embarrassment. What an imbecile. She tried to push the more humiliating moment out of her mind, when she asked him to stay, but it kept creeping back into her brain. Halstead was in a super chipper mood making hers even darker.

"So you gonna tell me what happened last night?" he finally asked when she volunteered no information.

"Nothing."

"That fireman just called you a cab and that was it?" he inquired again.

"No. He dropped me off. Got me to the couch and left. That's it," she answered shortly indicating that nothing further would be said.

His whistling was infuriating. He kept whistling to any tune that came on the radio. Erin finally turned the damn thing off.

"Hey, I need you to stop by 51 for a second," she said nonchalantly, almost as an aside. As if it were one of their usual stops, for coffee, a bagel…

"I knew it!" he shouted. "I knew it! Something happened and now you want to drop by. You'll be havin' lunch there soon. Voight's gonna invite him over for dinner…"

"Shut up. Nothing happened. Just do it." Her steely eyes said just try to mess with me some more. He didn't. Instead, he drove the short distance to the firehouse.

"I'm waitin' in here."

"Yes, you are," she replied, slamming the door on her way out. Only made her head hurt worse.

Nervously, she headed into the building. She was a confident woman, always self-assured… not now. She knew eyes were on her making her even more self conscious. For a split second, she thought about just turning around, but Mouch saw her and spoke up.

"May I help you in some way, Detective…" said the redhead hoping this didn't mean trouble.

"Lindsay," she replied smiling. "Yes, could you point me in the direction of Lieutenant Severide?" she asked hoping it sounded all business.

"Hope you're not here to arrest Kelly," laughed Mouch regretting his words when no laughter came from her. "Uh, let me show you back. I think he's in his office." Mouch walked swiftly to the lieutenant's closed door, not offering to knock or open it. He just pointed at it like "you go right ahead."

"Thanks," Erin said waiting for him to leave. She knocked lightly on the glass, the blinds closed so she couldn't see anything inside.

Nothing.

She tried again, a little louder.

Nothing.

Crap, he's probably looking though those blinds and not wanting to answer. Thinks I'm a damn stalker. She started to turn when the lock on the door began to make some noise, like someone was trying to unlock it.

Kelly opened the door, rubbing his eyes, ready to lay into whomever woke him from the best sleep he'd had in 24 hours. He rubbed his eyes a little harder not quite believing who was standing in front of him, crooked smile on her face. Erin Lindsay.

"Hey," he said smiling. "Sorry, trying to catch a few z's before our next run. Everything okay? Come in," he continued opening the door wider.

Erin took a small step inside deciding to remain standing.

"Yeah, uh, everything's great. I just wanted to thank you for everything last night. For getting me home. For being a perfect gentleman. I hope I didn't make too much of a fool out of myself. I honestly don't remember much." Erin hoped the lie sounded authentic.

"No problem. And you did not make a fool out of yourself. It was my pleasure."

"Well, that's really all I wanted to say. Halstead's waiting outside. I better head out," she said hesitantly, awkwardness created by the following silence.

"Like I said, no problem," said Kelly wanting to say more but not knowing what words should come. She obviously made the effort to show up here. To thank me personally. Do something.

Nothing else came out. He was left watching her walk down the hall and around the corner, out of sight. What a stupid ass, he thought, slamming his door shut. Why didn't I ask her out? Tell her we could go back to Molly's. Let her know he understood how she felt about Jules, if she ever needed to talk, something, anything. When does a woman turn me into an adolescent idiot? Apparently, now.

He laid back down on his bed, not surprised when the sound of the alarm called out. Truck, ambulance, and squad… all needed. Great. Perfect.

The next day, Kelly arrived at the Academy his usual 15 minutes early, but on this day, the last of the class, all of his students were already there. They all clapped when he entered the room, Dawson handing him some huge, lumpy package and Rebecca handing him a smaller one. Kelly set the gifts down on the desk, smiling, proud of these men and women who made it through. He'd cut them no breaks, and they'd all proven worthy. He had no doubt they would make excellent firefighters.

"Severide, in spite of your best efforts, we've all made it," Gabby started with all the recruits whooping and hollering. She shushed everyone and continued.

"Seriously, we all agree you were the toughest of our instructors but also the best. We learned more from you than all the rest… don't tell them that though. We might end up working for one of 'em." Everyone clapped and yelled for Kelly to unwrap the smaller package.

He pulled away the wrapping and found a bottle of scotch inside. An expensive bottle of scotch.

"Wow, thanks guys. This is great," he said. He looked at the large gift, strangely shaped and wrapped with lumps and bumps sticking out. "I'm afraid to see what's in this one," he joked grabbing it. He pulled back the paper to expose part of a fire hose. Hmmm, they're getting me a hose, he thought. Pulling back the rest of the paper, he could see the hose turn into a bull whip at the end. He broke into laughter at the gift waiting for the first "crack the whip" joke to appear. The room roared with everyone jumping in with their own special 'Kelly as a slave driver' story. It was the perfect way to end this class. He'd been wrangled into teaching it, but it had turned out to be a great experience. Rewarding in ways he hadn't imagined.

All were heading to Molly's for a huge celebration. Kelly vowed he'd make it a quick stop tonight. Shay wasn't going to be makin' any demands after ditching him the other night. As soon as he got to the bar, he realized he'd have someone else to contend with. Jones had her sights set on a target and Kelly Severide was going to have to be a Houdini to get out of this one.

"Well, lieutenant, looks like our teacher, student relationship is over," she said seductively handing Kelly a beer. "If you want something stronger, we can attack that bottle of scotch at your place."

Couldn't accuse her of beating around the bush. Truth be told, no matter how beautiful, no matter how perfect her body, Rebecca Jones was just not Kelly's type. The way she sucked up constantly, the way she seemed to be looking out for number one only, just wasn't Kelly's type. If he even had a type. Zoya hadn't been his type, he thought, but the sex had been incredible. Just what he needed. Maybe Jones was what he needed. At least for now.

She fed him beer after beer, getting closer and closer, letting that soft hair brush against his face, letting other things brush up against him. She did smell good he had to admit.

Erin Lindsay let Antonio talk her into going back to Molly's. He insisted they all show up to celebrate his sister's accomplishment. She hoped she wouldn't see Severide, especially after she went to the firehouse only to have him watch her walk away. One look at the bar thoroughly convinced her she was literally the dumbest woman on the planet. There was Kelly Severide with a beautiful woman on his arm, on his leg, practically on his lap.

Jay felt his partner tense up the second they walked in. One glance at the bar told him why. He stared at that asshole really wanting to open a can of whip ass on a fireman. Then he saw Gabby and decided to make it two firemen. There she was all over Matt Casey. Yeah, CPD needed to find another hangout, he decided.

"Let's get outta here," he whispered in Erin's ear. He tried to lead her out, but Antonio was there handing them two beers and leading them to a table. Two can play at that game, thought Jay. He pushed his chair up against his partner's and draped an arm around her. The look in her eyes told him to tread lightly, but she didn't push him away.

It was about that exact moment that Kelly noticed the beautiful cop he'd talked to for hours just the night before. Noticed how beautiful she looked. Noticed her partner right up against her, arm possessively saying "mine." He was mad without really understanding why.

Detective Voight walked in and the entire bar seemed to pause for a second everyone looking at Casey to see his reaction. Casey didn't react, so a collective breath was released. Voight did react.

"What the hell is going on here?" he asked Jay, sitting right next to him, staring at the arm around his protege.

Halstead's arm dropped off of Erin immediately. "Nothing, sir. Just relaxing, kicking back."

"I'm done," said Erin disappointed in the nervousness of her partner. "Take me home?" she asked Voight.

He grabbed her hand and led her out of Molly's. Kelly watched all of this unfold, watched Detective Lindsay leave with a monster, and watched his budding desire for Rebecca leave as well. He quickly excused himself and was out the door before she knew what hit her.

The next day on shift, it was Severide's turn to make a pit stop.

"Capp, swing into PD on your way back. I gotta check on something," Kelly instructed.

Kelly hopped out of squad's truck and strode into the station.

"I was wondering if Detective Lindsay was available," Kelly asked the sergeant at the front desk.

"Let me see if I can track her down," the older lady said stopping a younger officer. "And who is this handsome fireman asking for her?"

"Kelly Severide," laughed the lieutenant giving her a broad smile.

"Hey, tell Erin to get her ass out here," she instructed the young cop.

Kelly waited for a few minutes growing fidgety, knowing it was a matter of time before a call came in.

"Something I can help you with?" asked Detective Voight appearing from behind the fireman, taking him by surprise.

"No, thanks. I'll wait," answered Severide stubbornly refusing to budge.

"If it's a police matter, I can help ya out."

"Uh, not really a police matter," Kelly responded.

"She's busy right now. She's working," Voight added.

"It's okay. I'll wait," said Kelly stubbornly crossing his arms.

Voight crossed his arms and leaned against the front desk firmly planting himself there.

After what seemed an eternity, Erin made her way to the front, eyes lighting up when she spotted the handsome lieutenant. Her brow quickly furrowed when she saw the look on Voight's face.

"Hank, I've got this. You can go," she said giving him a little pat on the arm. He didn't move. Not one inch.

"You can go," she said firmly, giving Voight two raised eyebrows that said move your ass now.

Voight walked slowly to the back wanting to say something but remaining silent, just that smile on his face.

"Everything okay?" asked Erin curiously.

"Yeah, great. Everything's great. I just wanted to come by and say you caught me off guard the other day." Kelly stopped waiting for some reaction.

"And I wanted to know if you'd want to grab lunch sometime, or coffee... or something," he trailed off hoping she would say yes.

"I should make you squirm a little," she laughed with that sexy rasp in her voice. "I'm off tomorrow and Tuesday. What does your schedule look like?"

"Tomorrow it is," said Kelly excitedly pulling out his phone.

"We were gonna send Clarke in with the jaws," joked Capp when Kelly finally returned. "We figured you got yourself in some kind of trouble."

Kelly smiled.

"Yeah, I may have," he confirmed, smile spreading across his face.


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow! What chemistry between Severide and Det. Lindsay on the last CPD episode. I do love Halstead and Lindsay, but that can come after a few seasons of them flirting back and forth. AND Severide is my main guy. Haha! Thanks for the reviews; the kind words make my day! I'm getting things moving in this chapter. Hope you enjoy.**

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The call was a structural fire, abandoned warehouse, a real bear to fight with wind and cold being as difficult to battle. It was a bitter cold, one the guys hadn't seen in years, if ever. Hard enough fighting fires, but add these elements and it was a trying time for all.

Finally they got the beast under control and headed back to 51 ready to dig into a hearty stew Katie had dropped off earlier. Kelly was aware that the past few months were shaping up as so much better than the past six, hell, make that twelve. Being an instructor at the Academy, discovering a new sister he already loved as if they'd grown up together, and now this date with a beautiful detective. He didn't think he'd ever be excited about starting something new again after the Renee disappointment. Yeah, last year was one to put in the books and forget about forever.

Kelly pulled out his phone, fingers fumbling from cold. Three texts from Erin.

_I forgot, plans tomorrow. Tuesday okay?_

Next text 20 minutes later.

_Tuesday no good. Big break in case. Next day off?_

And finally the last one.

_Call me._

Shit. She was obviously bailing. No use delaying, just rip it off like a bandaid, he thought. The phone barely rang once when Detective Lindsay answered.

"Hey, Kelly," she began, just the sound of her raspy voice causing him to smile, bad news or not. "I am so sorry. A dealer we've been on is making a move Tuesday, so I'm gonna have to be there. I completely forgot Hank, uh, I mean Voight is having a dinner for his son, Justin tomorrow. He just got out of, uh, got back home. I need to be there."

It all sounded sincere and honest, but Kelly couldn't help but think she was having second thoughts.

"No, it's okay, really. You know. I'm a big boy, so if..." he was never one for beating around the bush, better to get it all out.

"Severide, I'm a big girl. If I didn't want to go, I wouldn't have said yes," she said firmly. "Just tell me when your next day off is, and let's go to dinner."

"Friday and Saturday," he laughed at her directness. He could get used to this, he thought relieved that she was still game for dating a fireman.

"Friday then. You pick the place. After all, you are a big boy," she teased looking forward to seeing this man again. He had an old fashioned appeal beyond the obvious physical one. Sure, she was attracted to the hunky firefighter, but after spending hours talking and drinking, she knew there was something special about him, something sort of sweet.

Kelly just laughed louder, all the guys on squad looking at this new lieutenant they had. It wasn't lost on them that Kelly had smiled more in the past month than he had all of last year. His face lit up whenever his sister stopped by, and he was almost giddy when riding Dawson's ass about all the things she needed to work on. This sure beat the grumpy guy they couldn't even talk to when Renee left.

The rest of the night was a slow one, with everyone enjoying that stew and homemade cornbread. Kelly was teasing the guys, talking more than usual. Shay came up behind him, pushing him lightly as he refilled his bowl.

"You're gonna get fat if you keep that up," she said playfully.

"So," he said shoving a huge piece of cornbread in his mouth before he even sat down.

"You're disgusting," she laughed with Kelly just raising his eyebrows. "What's up with you?"

"I have plans on Friday," he answered knowing the vagueness would drive his roommate crazy.

"Don't be an ass. Spill it."

"I may be goin out with a certain detective on Friday," he said shrugging his shoulders feigning innocence.

"What? Voight finally said yes?" Shay giggled. "So you manned up and asked Detective Lindsay out? Aw, my little Kelly's growing up," she said a little too loudly.

"Who's growing up?" asked Hermann plopping down next to Shay.

"No one," they answered together.

"Why do I get the feelin you two are in on somethin' we will never understand?" asked Hermann.

The last of the shift progressed so slowly, Kelly didn't know how he'd make it to Friday. He ended up not having to wait that long. Erin called early in the morning.

"Severide," she said, mischievous tone in her voice.

"Detective," Kelly answered as formally, surprised at hearing from her so soon.

"My dinner plans were canceled, so what do you think about getting together tonight?" The thought of waiting until Friday wasn't appealing to Erin either. She wanted to see the handsome firefighter sooner rather than later.

"Sounds good. I'll pick you up at seven?"

"You remember where I live?"

"I remember," Kelly replied. "What happened with Voight?" he asked remembering her plans were with him.

"Don't ask. I'll tell you tonight. See you at seven, hero," she said not quite believing those words came out.

Kelly made reservations at some fancy French restaurant Shay recommended. He canceled them ten minutes later. No, he didn't want some stiff first date at some place with waiters makin' you feel like they're doin' you a favor. He'd take her to Joe's, a real hole in the wall place that was a favorite of his when he and Shay wanted a quiet night out. Joe had been the original owner, his family generation after generation keeping the cozy restaurant going. Their specialty was the way they served generous portions of home cooked meals, ones that made Kelly miss his mom, but also helped to take away the problems of the day. Shay always joked that Joe's macaroni and cheese was Kelly's longest relationship.

Nervous did not begin to cover what he was feeling. It had been so long since he put in any effort, really since Renee. Damn, seems like my personal life's been on hold since then, he thought.

He settled on "nice" dark jeans and a button up shirt. Shay offered her stamp of approval. He looked cleaned up but not like he'd changed clothes five times.

"You look handsome," she said bringing him in for a hug. They both deserved a little happiness, she thought. "I can't wait to meet her. Why don't you invite her over on Friday, or we all can go out?"

"Let me see how this goes tonight," he replied knowing the blonde wouldn't wait long. He wanted to get at least one date under his belt before he brought in the whole damn family.

Kelly threw on his leather jacket and headed into the frigid cold. Erin's place was only fifteen minutes away, so the car's heater was just kicking in. He found himself at her door taking a couple of big breaths watching the steam escape from his mouth.

She answered quickly and didn't invite him in for a second or two. They were staring at each other, both erupting in laughter. They were dressed in nearly identical outfits...dark jeans, button up tops in black, black boots, and even matching, worn black leather jackets.

"So you got the memo about what to wear?" laughed Erin her raspy voice cracking up more as she eyeballed her date again.

"Please tell me I don't look like I shop in the women's department," pleaded Kelly admiring the beauty of his date. Damn she wore that leather well.

"I think I'm the one that looks less than feminine. Do you want me to change? I wasn't sure how casual I should..."

"You look perfect," Kelly interrupted, hands in the pockets of his jeans, smiling even wider.

"So do you." The words slipped out of Erin's mouth before she had a chance to retrieve them. Embarrassed, she grabbed her purse and locked her front door fumbling slightly with her key.

"How have I never been here?" asked Erin eating another bite of meatloaf.

Meatloaf, thought Kelly. This girl orders meatloaf. She is just full of surprises. All soft and delicate on the outside. Then you hear that voice and it's all gritty and sexy and fun. He couldn't wait to discover more, his brain mapping out another date before they even got to dessert.

"I can't help it if you hang around a bunch of cops who wouldn't know good food if it landed in their laps."

The banter went on for hours, avoiding anything heavy this night. They were alike in so many ways, that was obvious in the stories they told, in the way they were tough but with a little softness, and in how loyal they were to those they loved. Erin's promise to tell about the canceled Voight dinner to Kelly was unfulfilled, but it was okay. Hopefully, there will be more of these dates, thought the lieutenant.

Before he knew it, Kelly was taking his beautiful date home.

"Sorry I have to call it a night," said Erin sadly. "We've got a deal going down tomorrow, been waiting on this for a long, long time."

"No, it's been great. Maybe we can do it again on Friday?"

"Definitely. I'll call you tomorrow after we bust this guy."

Kelly laughed at the words. He didn't think it would ever cease to amaze him that this little thing was taking down some bad guy, had a gun. A real gun she knew how to use. Feisty beyond belief.

"I think you're laughing AT me," Erin protested, pulling Kelly roughly in her doorway by the collar on his jacket.

He leaned in, smile still on his face, and waited for her to respond. He didn't wait long. She pulled him in, hard. Their lips pressing into each other, the night spent looking at each other, admiring each other's beauty coming together with this kiss. Erin's hands went to Kelly's short hair, pulling him in harder, losing herself in that kiss. He cupped her face and gazed at it for half a second before pushing his mouth forcefully against hers again. She pulled away, brushing her fingers against his cheek. She could get lost in those eyes, she thought. She could get lost in this man.

"I don't want to say goodnight, but..." she sighed heavily.

"No, I understand. You've got a big day tomorrow. And were gettin' together on Friday."

"Are you sure you're real?" asked Erin knowing that most of the guys she dated would be begging to stay.

"Huh?"

"Never mind. I'm not making sense. Call you tomorrow." Erin gave him one more quick kiss and pushed him lightly out the door. Yes, sleep may be impossible, she thought watching him get into his car. Even his walk had her interested. She was still staring out the window long after he drove away.

The next morning, Boden had Kelly on the phone asking him to come in. Wasn't really asking, more like telling. Apparently, two of squad's guys went home with some stomach flu or food poisoning or something that had them stuck in the bathroom.

Kelly hadn't been at 51 for more than an hour when the call came in. Fire in an abandoned building in the gang-infested Auburn Gresham area. Shots fired, PD on the scene. Kelly had never been so glad to be on shift in his life. He had the sinking feeling in his gut that this was the deal going down that Erin talked about last night. His heart raced almost as fast as squad's truck as it burned rubber to get to the corner of South Ashland and West 76 in record time.

They pulled up to see Lindsay, Voight, Dawson, and Halstead behind open car doors exchanging gunfire with at least two in the building. Kelly's stomach lurched as he saw the small brunette come out from the door and fire off three times, then tuck back behind the door. Smoke was pouring out of the second story of the building. It looked like the shots were coming from up higher.

He rushed out of the truck and almost ran into a little slip of a boy, no more than ten, eleven tops.

"Trey's inside! You gotta get him out!" the little guy stammered nervously.

"What floor?" yelled Kelly holding him on one shoulder.

"Second floor! We were messin' around with a pipe! He's still up there."

Kelly let him go not liking the sound of more shots. This was a damn Old West shoot out, he thought. Staying behind the truck, he motioned for Boden.

"There's a kid on two! I'll take Capp and Clarke. We'll be out before you can blink."

"How do you intend on getting into the building? Those are real bullets!" Boden yelled.

Voight snuck up behind both men. Jesus, did he always do that?

"You guys stay back here till we flush 'em out. With the smoke, they gotta come down soon. These are some real bad guys, so sit tight and..."

"There's a kid up on two, so we gotta move now!" Kelly interrupted.

"Shit! Give me two minutes to coordinate with my guys. We'll cover you."

Boden nodded agreeing to let Kelly, Capp, and Clarke go in. Voight gave the signal. The cops all fired heavily at the same time giving the firemen time to get in safely. Kelly thought Erin gave him a head nod, but could've been his imagination. He wanted to yell at her to get the hell down.

They flew up the stairs to the second floor and began going from room to room searching for the boy, heavy smoke making it hard to see. Clarke found him crouched in the closet of a room, surprisingly in good shape. He called out for Severide and Capp to meet him back at the stairs.

Clarke held the boy and started down first. Kelly was next, then Capp. Just as Capp took his first step down, he was grabbed around the neck from behind.

"You're getting me outta here!" yelled a young man, coughing violently, pressing a gun to the fireman's back.

Kelly felt Capp jerk back suddenly. When he turned around, he saw the problem. Now, an older guy was behind the one that had Capp. Shit. These were the ones shooting at PD.

The young one ripped Capp's mask off placing it greedily on his own face. The older one motioned for Kelly's, a gun now visible in the thug's hand. Kelly had pushed Clarke. He was torn, wanting to stay with his boss and Capp, but knowing he had to continue down. Just a few more steps to the front door.

Antonio Dawson was on him the second he came out taking the boy to the waiting paramedics.

"Where's Severide?" yelled Erin running up to the squad member, looking anxiously at the door.

"Some guys grabbed Capp and lieutenant. Two of 'em, with guns, couldn't really see anything else. I hauled ass down here." Clarke was staring at the door too, not one to walk away from a fight, but getting that kid out had to be a priority.

Voight was at Lindsay's side in seconds, face tight, brow furrowed. The gravel in his voice held an authority that couldn't be explained.

"Get the hell behind that truck!" he hissed at the fireman. "They'll be coming out any second. Linds, get behind that car!" Before they could make a move, Kelly burst through the door, hands at his mouth coughing. Capp came through next, coughing violently, still being held by the younger criminal. Gun pressed firmly on his back. Bringing up the rear was the older man, the drug dealer named Chuco.

"Drop it Chuco! Nowhere to go!" yelled Voight, gun aimed at the bad guys. Unfortunately, Capp was in the way.

"No, you drop it! Unless you want a dead fireman on the street!"

"Kelly! Get behind me!" yelled Erin stepping forward, signaling for him to move.

He stood in between good and evil, hands up, looking desperately at Capp. There was no way in hell he was leaving him with these animals.

"Everyone, just put your guns down!" Kelly tried lamely. "You can walk away, just let him go!"

"Severide! Get behind me, now!" Erin screamed again taking another step, the look in her eyes commanding him to move.

The younger dealer shifted his gun from behind Capp and pointed it directly at the female detective's head. Capp, feeling the barrel leave his back, made his move and twisted away falling to the side.

Exposed, both bad guys began firing. Kelly lunged back plowing on top of Detective Lindsay preventing her from getting off a shot. The breath was knocked completely out of her with the weight of Kelly pushing her over and landing firmly on top.

Voight didn't need any shots from her gun. He had Halstead and Dawson unloading on Chuco and his henchman, both dropped within thirty seconds, both bleeding heavily, both looking very dead.

Erin finally caught her breath, Kelly pushing himself off of her, rolling to the side. Yes, that's gonna hurt tomorrow, she thought rubbing her butt.

"Goddammit!" she yelled getting up shakily, hovering over Kelly, still flat on his back, smiling at her really pissed look. She's even hotter when she's angry, he thought relief sweeping over him. She was up, she was good.

"When I tell you to move, MOVE!" she said louder growing more angry with the smile she was looking at. She felt something wet on her shoulder, wiping her hand against it, not registering what it was. She felt no pain, but looking at her hand covered in crimson, it was telling a different story.

"Shit! You're hit!" Kelly called out jumping up and grabbing her by the waist.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you for the reviews, faves, and follows. I'm glad you're liking the story as much as I'm loving writing it and developing the Erin Lindsay character. I'm hard on her in this chapter, but don't be too mad at her. She's a tough cookie but been through so much in the past couple of weeks.**

**If you have a chance, check out my co-written story The Little Girl. It's a tag team effort with mom2jlg, and I'm really happy with the way it's turning out. It's "sweet" Kelly Severide all the way. **

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Voight was at Erin's side as if his life depended upon it, ripping her jacket off, Kelly helping with the other side. The blood was smeared across the leather, but nothing on her blouse underneath.

"Linds, where are you hit?" asked Voight frantically, yanking down the shirt exposing Erin's bare shoulder.

"Jesus Christ, Hank! Stop!" she yelled, pulling away from both men, staring at the blood on her jacket. The puzzle in her brain was falling into place.

She looked at Kelly wide eyed, taking a fierce step toward him as if going to attack. He backed away reflexively. What the hell is she doing, he thought.

"Kelly," she said stepping to him slowly. This time he didn't back away. She reached up and pulled one side of his turnout coat off.

"Aaahh!" he called out not sure why.

He looked at his shoulder and the pain in it finally reached his brain. I'm bleeding, he thought looking at Erin with confusion. Voight pulled Kelly's coat off the rest of the way, grabbing the lieutenant under the arm.

"Paramedic! We need a medic!" Voight yelled to Shay and Dawson who were busy stabilizing Capp's breathing. Chuco and his young associate had yellow plastic over their lifeless bodies.

"Stay here with Capp," instructed Dawson, grabbing her bag.

Shay held her partner's wrist grabbing the bag from her.

"No, YOU stay here with Capp," insisted Shay.

"Ladies," said Capp pulling the oxygen away from his face, "no need to fight over me. Why don't you both go over there? I'm good."

Kelly was sitting up, on the ground now with Voight putting immense pressure on his shoulder making it hurt like hell. He felt dizzy and was still not quite believing that he had anything wrong with him. Erin was kneeling next to him mouth moving but no sound. He figured she was so damn beautiful he just couldn't concentrate on her words.

Shay cut off Kelly's shirt furiously, pushing gauze on and in the wound, really the little hole in the front of his shoulder.

"Hey, Shay. Where'd you come from?" Kelly smiled at her, but she didn't answer. The words hadn't really come out.

Dawson was inspecting his back, happy to see an exit wound, not happy with how unresponsive he was.

"Kelly, where are you?" asked Shay opening one of her friend's eyes wider, shining a light straight in.

He was on his back on a stretcher now not quite knowing how he ended up there. Moving, moving, up, now in the back of the ambo.

Whoa. No, no, no. Kelly sat up and Erin pushed him back down. Smiling. What the hell was she smiling about? Did she not know we're in the back of an ambo?

"I don't wanna... no ...stop..." Those words actually did come out.

"Kelly, look at me!" Shay put her face right in front of his. "You were shot, but you're gonna be fine. It went through. Do you understand? You are fine!"

She stroked his forehead gently. He was fine, he was fine, she kept repeating it in her mind. Tears beginning to form now that she could take a breath. They'd set up an IV, pumped him full of morphine...he wasn't in any danger.

"It's okay," said Gabby rubbing her partner's back. "Stay calm. Ssshhhh," she whispered reassuringly.

Kelly nodded his head understanding for the first time. He was in the ambo with Shay...with Dawson...there was Erin. Why was she so far away? Across the ambulance, just looking at me. She's fine, he thought. I'm fine, he thought before his eyes closed the morphine pulling him under.

Erin watched this scene as if she were watching a movie...only thing missing was the popcorn. She watched Shay cry and wanted to move. She looked at Kelly's peaceful face and wanted to touch it. She was frozen in place watching this scene unfold.

Instead, the scene shifted to the last time she was in the back of an ambulance. She saw Jules in an ambulance identical to this one. Jules, her partner in crime, or actually crime prevention...the only two females picked for Voight's Intelligence Unit. Jules, the beautiful detective, the loving wife, supermom to two small children... a little girl and boy. Jules dead. Shot in the neck while Erin watched her slip away before her eyes.

Erin cursed at the tears forming in her eyes, those tears streaming down her cheeks. They pulled into Lakeshore, wheeled Kelly away, leaving her to dry those tears and pull back on the steely exterior she wore like her badge. Hopping out of the ambo, she was met by Voight and Halstead.

"You okay?" asked Voight putting an arm around her. She brushed it to the side.

"Yeah. I'm good. How the hell did you beat us here?" she asked noticing a worried Shay and Dawson talking by the front desk.

"I have my ways," Voight laughed gruffly. "Let's check on this fireman and get the hell outta here." He put his arm back around her shoulder not letting it be swatted away this time.

They were keeping Severide overnight, getting a room set up, likely to be released tomorrow. Shay was behind the curtain visiting with him now. Erin popped in quickly, shook his roommate's hand, told him she'd see him tomorrow and was gone letting Voight lead her out and take her home.

"Not the real touchy feely type," commented Shay to Kelly who was already dozing again. He was too out of it to notice who was or wasn't coming in. The doctor came back through happy with how he was doing...not too much blood loss, wound was a through and through, minor damage only. Mild case of shock was the only reason he wasn't being released tonight and the symptoms of that were lessening. Yes, release for tomorrow likely.

A sleepless night met Detective Lindsay. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Jules' face, blood seeping from her neck. She clenched her eyes tighter and saw Kelly in between Chuco and herself...panic rising in her chest. He wouldn't move behind her. Dammit! She saw him flat on his back smiling at her. She got up at 2:00 in the morning giving up on the whole sleep thing.

The next morning she headed back to Lakeshore. Shay was trying to get things moving on the release, but there was no rushing the slow motion hospital flow of paperwork. They had their own time table and it was at a snail's pace. She nodded at Shay on her way in to see Kelly.

He was sitting up looking good. His shoulder was heavily bandaged, but his face looked good, color back to normal. He looked better than the detective.

"Hey, I'm gettin outta here in a little bit," he said smiling broadly, happy to see Erin. "I'm fine. Really, I am," he added seeing the dark circles under her eyes.

"No, you are really lucky," she said evenly. "You are very lucky." She wasn't smiling.

"I'll be good for our date on Friday...been thinkin about where we should go. What do you feel..." Kelly could see her face darken even further. He stopped in mid sentence.

"What exactly do you not understand about moving behind me?" Erin asked pointedly, trying to keep her voice even.

"I wasn't about to leave Capp and you like tha..." Kelly tried to explain.

"You could have been killed! When I say move your ass, you do it! You don't think, you jus..." Erin was yelling now feeling a rush of blood throughout her body. These words had been building up all night.

"I'm sorry I don't take orders when someone's life is in danger!" yelled Kelly not believing the tongue lashing he was getting.

"When an officer tells you something, you need to do it!"

"I did do something! I stopped a bullet from hitting you!"

"You mean from hitting my VEST!" Erin got what she came for. Something deep within her wanted this. She came in looking for a fight and she damn well got it.

Kelly was sitting upright now almost out of bed. "Or your head, or arm, or..."

"Forget about Friday! This obviously will never work!" Erin turned on her heels passing an open mouthed Shay on her way out.

"Obviously! And you're WELCOME!" yelled Kelly holding his shoulder, pain stretching down his arm now. "Ugh!" he yelled falling back against his pillow.

Shay hurried to catch up to the detective. "Hey!" she called out catching Erin by the arm.

"Yes?!" asked Lindsay clearly irritated, face red, flustered beyond belief.

"He doesn't need this right now! He just took a bullet for you! What the he..." Shay had fury in her eyes and couldn't believe what transpired in Kelly's room.

"I didn't ask him to! None of this would've happened if he'd simply listened to my instructions." Erin was trying unsuccessfully to calm down. She just wanted to get out of this place. "He could've been killed!"

"Yes! And he'd do it again! He's not the type to hide behind someone! Yeah, if that's what you want then I'm glad you'll never see him again! He doesn't deserve this!" Shay repeated storming off to check on her best friend. "He deserves better!" added the blonde not even looking back.

Detective Lindsay sat in her car not believing the tears streaming down her face. She slammed her hands against the steering wheel letting out a sob she'd been holding in since the shoot out. What the hell am I doing? What is wrong with me? She buried her face in her hands, feeling the vibration of her phone...again. It could wait. It would have to wait.

Shay walked back to Kelly's room trying to get a grip before entering. She knew he didn't need her screaming like a lunatic right now.

"That went well," she joked with a sad smile. "You okay?"

"Yep." he answered. "Just get me the hell outta here." He closed his eyes somehow glad for that pain in his shoulder. Concentrate on that. Not the face of that beautiful, infuriating woman.

"She's a real bitch," added Shay.

"We're not talkin about this. Just get me out of here," Kelly repeated longing for his own bed, his own pillow, a cold beer. "Please."

Erin walked into the station with Halstead ready to attack.

"So you don't answer your partner when you're an hour late? I've texted you, like nine times?" Jay was furious at being ignored and a little worried.

"I was at Lakeshore. Sorry."

"Shit. Is your fireman okay? Did somethin happen?" he asked seeing her weary face, the red rimmed eyes.

"He is NOT my fireman. He's fine. Let's roll." Erin hoped she had the look that said "not one word, not one more damn word."

"Trouble in paradise?" he pried.

Silence.

"Oh, I get it. He decided you're not worth takin a bullet for, so he called the whole thing off," tried Halstead cracking up at his own joke.

"I did NOT ask him to take a bullet for me. If he'd just done what the hell I said..." Erin hadn't wanted to get into any of this, but her partner of six months had learned one thing...how to bait her into talking.

"Oh, I get it! He didn't run and hide behind your skirt like you instructed."

"I don't wear skirts."

"And Linds... maybe it scared you a little, seeing him shot. We just lost Jules." Jay didn't know how far to take this, how far to push. He knew he had to say something to his partner. God knows, she would.

"Leave it," she warned dark expression covering her face.

"You can't have it both ways, Erin. You told me if a guy had to ask Voight to date you, he shouldn't bother. This guy will run in front of a train for you, and now you're..."

"There was no train. And drop it." She flipped on the radio, some asinine 90's cheery 'Walking on Sunshine' blaring out.

Jay started whistling along.

Erin knew this was going to be a bad day.


	5. Chapter 5

**Taking a few liberties with this one... I'm adding the blackout in the neighborhood, Kelly embarrassing the thug Vince Keeler, and a few other things from ChiFi, but changing it up, of course. Hope you enjoy!**

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A week and a half and nothing. Not one word from her fireman. The fireman. At 51.

What had she expected? Kelly Severide to stroll into the station with a lush bouquet flowers and beg her to forgive him for not following her direct orders? Uh, not likely, she thought. No, she'd never see him again unless it was a random run-in at Molly's or some fire where CPD was needed.

The problem was she missed him. She finally admitted it to herself about three days into his absence from her life. Damn, Halstead was right.

"You can't have it both ways, Linds."

She hated it when he was right. Now, what to do about it? Nothing...too late, her pride decided for her.

Detective Hank Voight strolled into Firehouse 51 five days ago as if he owned the place.

"What the hell does that asshole want?" asked Hermann watching the cocky officer make his way to Chief Boden's office. "Trouble seems to go wherever he is. And we've had more than enough of that lately."

"Chief, I need to see Lieutenant Severide," announced Voight as if the world would stop and answer him, cater to his every need.

"Is this official police business?" asked Boden wondering what the hell Severide had gotten himself into this time. He also readied himself to defend his man to the ends of the earth.

"Nah, nothin like that. Just need a word with him," answered Voight with a smile. The kind of smile that didn't radiate joy in the eyes.

Boden led the detective through the dark hallway to Kelly's office, knocking lightly on the glass. Kelly answered, a swarm of paperwork covering his desk. He'd been neglecting it long enough...time to get it under control.

"Is Erin okay?" Kelly blurted out instinctively, sure that there could only be one reason for the visit... Erin had been hurt, shot... maybe worse. He searched the detective's eyes for some hint of an answer.

"She's fine," reassured Voight cocking his head slightly to the right, squinting his eyes slightly. He was caught off guard by the question, the concern.

"I came by to thank you for what you did. I know she was pissed, but that was Erin just being Erin," he laughed with a gravel in his voice that sounded like it hurt.

"Yeah, no problem," answered Kelly relief sweeping over him, still not sure how to react with this enemy in his office.

"Erin is like a daughter to me. More than family. I needed to tell you, man to man, that I think you saved her life. Chuco was no amateur...he would go for a head shot every time." Voight was as ready as Kelly to end this uncomfortable conversation. Sharing of feelings, not his thing.

"I owe you. You ever need anything, and I mean anything..." he handed Kelly one of his cards. "You call me."

Kelly nodded his head staring at the card as if it were written in a foreign language. He had no words, so he just kept nodding and watched as Voight walked out of his office and back to the cold streets of Chicago.

Shay was in his office in seconds. "What'd he want? Detective Lindsay okay?"

"She's fine. He said thanks. I don't wanna talk about it." Kelly turned to his mountain of paperwork with a sigh, leaving Shay with a view of his back.

Shay matched his heavy sigh and gave him a quick squeeze on the shoulder before leaving. "I don't wanna talk about it." That was all she'd heard since the screaming match at Lakeshore. There was no talking to him when he got like this, but it wouldn't stop her from trying.

Erin never knew that Voight talked to Severide, thanked him personally, and basically laughed about what a ball buster she could be. Lucky for Voight. Erin would've had his ass.

"Let's get drinks after work tonight. You've been sulking around long enough," Jay insisted. Ten days of this. Ten LONG days of this. No joking, no teasing. He'd basically been in hell for ten days.

"I'm tired. A hot bath, some wine...that's what I need tonight." Erin was not going out. She knew he was gonna suggest Molly's and there was no way she was showing her face in Kelly's neck of the woods.

"Uh, why don't you add five cats to that equation and we'll call it a life. C'mon Linds, please drink with me tonight. Pleeeeze." Jay was trying to turn on the charm and it was starting to work. It was that or his dimples.

She laughed and gave him a maybe. He'd take that.

The neighborhood had different ideas and did all it could to sabotage those plans. As soon as it got dark, a drunk decided to hit a transformer sending the entire area into a blackout...bringing the wolves out to play. One of the wolves, a bad guy in the neighborhood named Vince Keeler, started his own brand of trouble. In Firehouse 51.

Kelly saw a young man being beaten senseless and in typical Severide fashion, he sprung into action, disarming the bad guy, bloodying his nose, then throwing him unceremoniously out on his ass.

"You're a dead man!" screamed the humiliated Vince Keeler before running off.

Erin heard some of this from her confidential informant, a slime of a "man" called Flaco who she busted for possession of crack six months ago. He was in with the Keeler clan and all too willing to turn evidence against his employer. He'd proven to be useful and was the only hope PD had of bringing Vince Keeler to justice. Rumored to be involved in at least two murders, the guy was like a slimy fish, slipping through the hands of justice, never even being charged with the crimes.

Detective Lindsay was heading to 51 alone hoping that Kelly had nothing to do with turning Keeler out. She had a bad feeling about this. It had Severide written all over it.

Kelly and Casey entered Boden's office, both surprised at who was inside. Kelly took one look at the gorgeous detective and regret filled his heart. He missed her and it hit him like a brick... right in the gut. He hadn't admitted any of this to himself, but seeing her now. No denying it.

All the hopes he had been holding onto since meeting Erin quickly evaporated almost two weeks ago with her screaming at him with such fury. He'd seen that look in Shay's eyes a couple of times, and he knew he never wanted to see it again.

He tried to listen to her words, letting that husky voice fill his ears. He missed her laugh. Yes, he decided that laugh was one of her best features. That voice, the hair, that damn body. They'd gone out officially just once, but she'd laughed so much on that date he'd memorized the tone of it... the cadence to it.

What was she saying? Who put that guy out on his ass?

"Guilty," Kelly answered snapping out of his trance. She was droning on and on about this loser.

He secretly considered their first meeting at Molly's a date, so in his mind, there were two dates. Two times to fall for this woman. What? She was asking some question.

"Walk me out?" Erin asked Kelly interrupting his thoughts. He nodded his head leading the way to the front, holding the door open for her.

"How's your shoulder?" asked Erin hesitantly stopping outside the door to the firehouse.

"Great. Been almost two weeks, so all healed up. Thanks for askin." Yeah, thanks for checking on me so many days after I was shot, thought Kelly.

"I knew you were okay because Antonio kept me up to speed," said Erin sensing what he was thinking.

"Good ole Antonio," commented Kelly. Quit being an ass, he told himself.

"Kelly, listen. This guy Keeler's a real animal. He doesn't fight fair. Promise me you'll call me if he shows up, if you think you see him around, anything that doesn't feel right. Promise me." Erin knew that Vince Keeler would not drop this. No way in hell.

"Uh, yeah, I promise." She looks worried. Like she's worried about me. Kelly wiped that thought away as quickly as his hand wiped across his face.

She gave him a squeeze of the arm and left. Kelly's eyes not leaving until her car was gone.

Assholes like Keeler never followed through, thought Kelly. He figured he'd seen the last of him, and unfortunately the last of Detective Lindsay.

The next day started inauspiciously with a broken coffee pot, burned toast, and a shortage of hot water in the shower, thank you very much, Shay.

By noon, Kelly knew something was very wrong with Katie. He was certain something had happened to his sister. She was supposed to come by for lunch and when she didn't show, he knew. Call it brotherly instinct, maybe brotherly overprotectiveness, but Kelly knew. He called CPD and was told it had to be 24 hours before someone could be reported missing.

When Kelly mentioned he was a firefighter at 51, the officer's attitude changed. He asked the lieutenant to come in with pictures, said he'd get the ball rolling.

"I'm here to meet Officer Santori," Kelly told the sergeant at the front desk. He was a mess, worried sick about his sweet sister, hoping against hope that she just took off somewhere on a whim. He knew that was not the case.

The officer took down all Katie's information and promised a team would get started on the case right away.

"I was wonderin' if Detective Voight was in," he asked, ready to call in that favor.

Voight showed up and listened to every detail of his story. He asked several questions the other officer had not. By the end of it, he also knew something was wrong. Foul play. He was sure of it.

"Detective Lindsay will follow you to your sister's place. We'll figure this out." Voight patted Kelly's back as he headed to his desk, phone in hand already texting some of his eyes and ears in the city. He was going to put feelers way out on this one. He owed the lieutenant, and he was gonna do everything he could to even the score.

Erin pulled Kelly into an interrogation room before they took off to Katie's house, the one she shared with her mother.

"Jesus, Kelly. I am so sorry," she began, drawing closer to him. That look in his face broke her heart, tore at something in her. She'd seen the look so many times before, in the eyes of desperate families, but not in someone she cared about. Someone she had to admit cared about her... enough to put himself between her and a bullet.

"I just don't know what to do. I don't know what to do," his voice broke, Erin grabbing him in a tight hug.

He slung his arms around her surrendering to his despair, head resting on her shoulder, sobs breaking free. They stayed like that for a long time with Kelly crying, consumed with a fear that he'd lost the sister he just discovered. Self consciousness swept away, replaced with a raw feeling that Katie would never return.

"What do I do?" he asked again wiping his hand across his face, trying to get control. Looking into Erin's eyes, he needed her. Needed her to tell him it would be okay. Needed her to tell him Katie would be okay. Needed her for so much more.

"We are going to find her. We are," vowed Erin never meaning anything more in her life.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you for all the reviews! Glad you're enjoying the pairing. Here's to hoping it happens on the show. Sure don't want to see the Severide/Rebecca Jones pairing. **

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Detective Erin Lindsay had retraced every step of Katie's the previous day. She painstakingly mapped out the young woman's every move right down to her trip to the grocery store for Parmesan before heading to 51. It was after her visit to the firehouse that was proving to be a mystery. No one disappears without a trace...there's always some piece of evidence, sometimes minuscule left behind. She knew it was there. She just had to find it. And fast. She also knew the longer someone was missing the less of a chance that person had of returning. Alive.

Katie was running out of time, she was sure of that hard fact. Erin also knew that Kelly was running out of time in his own way. He was falling apart before her very eyes. He didn't eat... he didn't sleep. He looked like hell and was on shaky ground trying to hang onto his sanity. This after two days.

Every time he called, it was to tell her about some new theory. He'd visited with Katie's mom trying to get a list of every man Katie had dated. Every boy she dated. His list included boys who had a crush on his sister in 8th grade.

"Kelly, I've been looking into her past relationships. There hasn't been much, she hasn't dated much. I don't think that's the answer," Erin tried to reassure but had no leads that Kelly could pin his hopes on. She knew that was what he needed right now...some hope.

"We're all working on this 24/7. Let me come by tonight...I'll bring dinner, we'll look at it again. We're missin' something. I know we are."

"Okay, but I don't see what we could've missed. I feel like I need to be out there, doin' something."

"No. Wandering aimlessly is not gonna help your sister. I'll be by around 7:30." Erin hung up before he could argue.

Damn bossy, thought Severide. He knew he should be excited about that gorgeous brunette coming over. Her couldn't muster it up. Worry was all he could feel.

Detective Lindsay walked straight to Kelly hugging him tightly, to hell with trying to stay mad at him. He needed her right now...she could feel that in the way his body clung to her, in the way he was trying to not lose it this time.

They ate in silence, Erin studying Kelly's face, that brow furrowed so deeply she knew his brain was probably going in a million different directions. He looked worse than the last time she saw him...she wanted to comfort him, somehow make him feel better. She imagined getting up, walking around him and massaging the tension out of his back, his neck. Kissing that neck and working up to the heavier scruff growing in his face, the shadow turning into a beard the past few days. Working her way to his face, those lips calling for her every time she saw him. Staying the night. She did none of this. Instead she spoke.

"So are you going to eat some of this or just push it around?" she asked softly.

"Sorry. Thanks for bringin' it."

Seemed like a damn waste of time. Eating Chinese food when his sister was who knows where out there alone. Or not alone. That thought worried him even more. Kelly had that feeling of complete unrest in his stomach, couldn't sit still, but walking around didn't help. He wanted to scream, to let it out, punch something, someone...instead he kept all this under the surface, pushed it way down.

The pair didn't come up with anything new, same old details leading to nowhere. Erin finally said goodnight and reluctantly left.

The next morning the detective headed over to 51 to talk to all the guys again. Maybe someone had seen something important and didn't realize they had a clue sealed up in their memory.

She talked to Otis, Katie's new boyfriend according to Kelly. He'd hung out more with the missing girl that night than anyone else. He detailed the events, talking about the Vince Keeler incident, Kelly throwing him out, and those words that kept echoing in Erin's mind. "You're a dead man!" Then nothing.

Why hadn't Keeler sent someone to take out Severide the next day or the day after that?

"Is it possible Keeler saw Katie and Kelly together that night?" asked Erin something clicking in her mind.

"Yeah, it's possible. Wait, do you think..."

Erin interrupted, "I've gotta check on something. I'll call you if I come up with anything. Thanks, Otis. You've been a great help." She texted Voight and took off to the station.

"I got a lead. Be there in ten."

Erin called her CI, the one in deep with Keeler, the one who'd gone dark...hadn't heard a word from him in two days.

Kelly saw the text from Katie and relief rushed over his entire body.

Until he read the message.

_Meet at 7600 Shields in 30 min or she's dead. Come alone._

Those words sent him over that ledge he was teetering on. All the fears realized with one line on his phone.

He considered calling Detective Lindsay for a split second but pushed that out of his mind. He sure as hell wasn't going to risk Katie's life by involving the cops. But no money requested, so what was this all about? He figured he'd show up and play it by ear, do whatever it took to bring his sister home. Sleep deprived, running on fumes...he wasn't thinking clearly.

As an afterthought, he wrote the address down leaving it on the counter, not consciously considering why. Shay would be home late that night...she would see it. Wouldn't matter, he told himself. He'd have Katie back by then.

When Kelly reached Shields, he was struck by how dilapidated all the buildings were...every one looking abandoned, for years. It looked like a part of the city forgotten, like all the people decided this wasn't a place to live, or work at. It looked deserted.

He saw a lone car idling, tucked in between two buildings, partially hidden in the shadows. The silver Gran Torino held such dark windows it was impossible to see if people were even inside. Katie was in there. She had to be.

But what to do now? Get out and walk to the car? He looked at his phone for instructions. Nothing. He texted her phone.

_Let her out._

The response was immediate.

_Start walking to the car. Hands up._

Shit. What the hell did they want? He cut the ignition and hesitantly got out wishing he could see something in there.

He put his hands up slightly and stopped halfway, knowing if he got to the car there was no guarantee that Katie would be released. He stopped and lowered his hands.

Someone opened the passenger side door. Kelly felt his breath catch. No Katie... some guy who looked familiar. It hit him suddenly, and he thought he was going to drop to his knees. This was the asshole he threw out of 51 the night of the blackout. His nose was still swollen and he wore that same expression. Yes, this was the one Erin warned him about. This was the reason Katie had been taken and it turns out the reason is me, thought Kelly.

"Let her go! Your beef's with me!" yelled Severide heading to the car again. "Let her go and ya got me!"

"I already got you!" Keeler called back, smirk on his face. He opened the back door and roughly yanked Katie out. She fell to her knees causing Kelly to pick up his pace. Her wrists were tied together with what looked like rope, face tear-stained and weary.

"Kelly!" she screamed getting to her feet. Keeler grabbed her arm and held her in place preventing the girl from running to her brother for some sappy reunion. No, thought Vince, this is the part where I get to make good on my promise.

The closer Kelly got, the better he could see what condition Katie was in. No bruises he could see, no visible scrapes. Same clothes as the night everything went dark. God only knew what she'd been through, what nightmare she'd endured. He clenched his fists thinking of the horrors that his sis... the things this animal might have done. I'm gonna kill this asshole, he thought, now just six feet away from Katie.

Keeler pulled out a gun and Kelly froze in place almost afraid to breathe. Be smart, he told himself. Think, think. Get Katie out alive to live that life he'd already dreamt of for her. The big adventure in New York.

"You shoulda minded your own business!" yelled Vince not needing the volume since Kelly was just a few feet away. He pushed Katie violently in the direction of Severide's car. Katie, hands still tied, ran to her brother letting him throw his arms around her.

"Hey, get your ass in the car!" Keeler shouted at the girl.

Kelly handed her his keys. "Contact Detective Lindsay," he said quietly, trying to smile, nodding his head.

"I am not leaving you here," Katie answered pushing herself against Kelly harder.

"This is for nothin' if you don't go. Go. Call CPD." Kelly pulled away from his sister, slipping his keys in her hand, and took another step to Vince's waiting car.

Keeler had the back door open, holding the gun in one hand draping over the open door window.

"You got sixty seconds to get your ass in that car!" he yelled at Katie again. "And you got ten to get in this one," he said to Kelly.

Katie ran to Kelly's waiting car struggling to get it started without the free use of her hands. Her eyes shifted from the ignition and up to Keeler and Kelly. She got the key in and turned it on, looking up in time to see Vince hit her brother on the head with the gun and throw his body in the back seat. The words of Keeler echoing in her mind, "Your brother is dead." Those words he repeated like a mantra over the past few days.

As Katie drove Kelly's car slowly, weaving to the right and left as if drunk, Detective Erin Lindsay was already heading to the address Shay had frantically called in to Antonio Dawson. Jay took shotgun not bothering to ask to drive.

"Why did he not call us?" she asked Halstead for the tenth time. "Why?"

"They told him not to. He wanted to save his sister. I wouldn't have called us either," Jay answered simply.

Erin gave him a glare that said he may be dead if he said one more word. She didn't want an answer... she needed to hear the sound of her own voice to try to calm down. To not think of worst case scenarios.

"Jus sayin. And you might not wanna scream at him when we get there. That didn't go over so well last..."

"Shut up. Just - shut - up." Erin hoped she could yell at Kelly. Maybe they'd still be there. She would come in and save the day.

Before reaching the address, they saw Kelly's car half up the sidewalk, driver's side door still part way open, right outside a small diner. She almost wrecked slamming on the brakes.

"Severide's car," she said to Jay getting out before he could even unbuckle. Erin ran inside and a weight lifted off of her heart when she saw Katie sitting at a table, hands cut free, drinking bottled water.

"Katie." She put an arm around Kelly's sister, the young girl letting her tears come now. Jay was at her side, looking around the diner.

"Y-you have t-to find him," Katie stammered between sobs, grabbing ahold of the detective.


	7. Chapter 7

"We've got a few hours tops," Erin said to the unit gathered around her.

"I know. We'll find him," reassured Voight trying to put an arm around his detective. He was proud of this girl. No, woman. She's a helluva detective, and now she's telling me we got a few hours. Yeah. Keeler will toy with the fireman for a while trying to break him, grow bored, and kill him. "Your CI. You gotta get to him," Voight said, the gravel in his voice indicating he meant business.

"I've been texting him. Nothing." Beyond frustrated, Erin had no other leads. That CI had to get in touch...and soon.

She kept replaying the date with Kelly in her head, picturing his face, laughing, teasing her. Then her so mad at him, yelling at him at Lakeshore. All that anger she thought she was done with. She could hear her therapist from her teen years asking, "Why are you so angry?" Damn woman always trying to get to the why.

"Start calling," instructed Voight. "Don't stop till he picks up." He's our only hope, he thought.

Katie was transported to Lakeshore as a precaution...she said she was fine physically, but Erin wanted that confirmed. She had to be dehydrated at least. Shay was meeting Kelly's sister there and would notify Katie's mom. Otis was already on his way. The detective promised she would be in constant contact.

Three calls in and her CI texted her back.

_Can't talk. Call in ten._

Voight, Lindsay, Halstead, and Dawson sat a small table in the back, the diner owner scrambling to make sandwiches for the four. Patience was not a virtue in one of the detectives.

Erin pushed her Reuben away, turning her phone over and over in her hand.

"Eat it," commanded Voight pushing the plate back towards her. He grabbed his and took a bite. The other men following suit.

She took a huge bite, looking at Hank with an "are you satisfied" expression on her face. She took another.

"Good girl," he said.

No call, but a text came in 12 minutes later. The vibration of her phone made her jump a little.

_Public Storage on Ogden._

Erin threw Jay the keys.

"I'm drivin? Okay, I'm drivin." He tore off to the storage place, neither one saying a word. The silence said enough. What were they gonna find? A storage unit...the perfect place to work someone over. Pay off the owner, no one else around, no one to hear screams.

Lindsay opened her door with the car screeching to a halt. Voight already in the office getting the unit number from the owner. He gave it up to Hank in less than a minute.

"27, first floor, to the right!" he yelled at Antonio. "You and Halstead wait outside. Keeler is probably still in there. I need you outside..." Voight instructed the female detective.

"The hell we are!" said Erin running to the unit, side by side with Voight. Disappointment could be heard in Jay's loud groan when he saw a padlock on the sliding metal door. Keeler wasn't inside unless someone locked him in. Not likely.

Voight shot the lock off and yanked the door up violently. He fumbled for the string that would bring light into the dark, small room. Jay used the flashlight in his phone, streaming a beam inside the blackness. All had their guns drawn scanning the area...empty. Movement in the corner.

"Oh God! Kelly!" Erin holstered her gun and rushed to the corner that held the fireman.

Voight was already on the phone calling for an ambo. He sent Antonio outside...didn't want to be ambushed by a returning Keeler. Jay cut through the tight rope tying Kelly's hands together behind him. He was in a metal chair, shirt off, jeans on.

Erin's hands went to his face that hung limply. He looked up, blinking hard, conscious. She pulled down a gag tied around his mouth and tried to brush the dripping blood from his brow.

"Kelly," she felt over his face working down his shoulders, his chest, stomach...he flinched involuntarily every few inches, whenever she reached a tender spot.

"Katie? Katie?" he rasped out trying to get up from the chair.

"Whoa," said Jay with a hand on the shoulder, making him stay in the chair.

"She's fine, Kelly. Hardly a scratch. Shay's with her," said Erin gently, getting a better view of Severide's body watching him go slack again at hearing his sister was fine.

Voight knelt down on the other side of Kelly. "Look at me," he said staring at the fireman, satisfied with how aware he was. "He's gonna be fine."

Erin's pained look gave her the appearance of the one that was beaten to a pulp. She was in shock that Kelly was alive in front of her. She honestly didn't expect to find him awake, breathing... she'd prepared herself for much worse. She held his hand relieved that didn't seem to hurt. With her other hand, she wiped at the blood continuing to drip from his brow. He looked up again.

"I'm okay... I'm okay," he told her, closing his eyes. He too expected to be dead by now. Keeler repeated it over and over. Kelly told himself that his sister was safe, made it out alive.. it was worth it. It was what he held onto when Keeler went to work, helped him block out the pain, the inevitability of his impending death.

Bruises riddled Severide's body...Vince and his goons had gone to town on the lieutenant. Kelly'd lost the feeling in his face after the fourth punch, or was it more? His ribs were a different story. He could feel those, every breath causing pain. Then Keeler said, "Just sit here and bleed for a while. I'll be back." Laughing, he took his men, slid the door shut, and left. I'm a lucky son of a bitch, thought Kelly.

The paramedics arrived pushing Erin and Voight out of the way. The older man held his female detective in both arms. "He's okay. It's over. Erin, it's over."

She shook her head yes, tears building in her eyes. She nodded again, more to reassure herself than anything else.

Kelly was on a stretcher being wheeled to the waiting ambulance outside. Erin went to his side keeping pace with him, grabbing his hand. She whispered in his ear, causing him to laugh a little then grimace from the motion. She hopped in the back of the ambo not giving a glance back at her team.

Jay watched his partner, had been studying her all evening. He had never seen Linds like this, nervous, worried. What was the right word? Flustered. Yes, completely flustered. His badass, cocky, beautiful partner was turned upside down. Over this fireman. She was... what? In love?

And Jay didn't know how he felt about that.

Voight sent Antonio and Halstead on to Lakeshore to be with Erin. He was staying at the storage unit, Detective Olinsky on his way to meet Hank there. They were cut from the same cloth, about the same age, definitely the same code. Yes, Voight wanted Olinsky there when Vince Keeler returned to make good on his promise to kill a fireman.

At Lakeshore, Kelly was rushed off to be evaluated leaving Erin alone. No one in the waiting room, the hallway. She found out where Katie was and headed to the room realizing her "constant contact" meant she hadn't sent one text, one update. Hell, they didn't even know he was alive.

Shay, Otis, and Gabby were gathered around Katie's bedside. She was sitting up, looking good, face not so teary. She could tell Otis was doing his best...animated, hands moving all around, huge smile on his face.

"So tickets for Comic Con New York went on sale yesterday, and I know I didn't ask, but you'll already be in the city, so I got us passes for the week!"

"Brian, you're the best," said Katie noticing Erin outside her room for the first time. "Oh, God," she said, everyone turning to see the detective's worn face, their eyes seeing the blood smeared down the front of her shirt, her hands covered with more. All of it Kelly's.

Shay sprung up from her chair, waiting for Erin to say something. Dawson stood next to her best friend placing a protective arm around her expecting something horrible...some incomprehensible news.

"He's okay," said Erin hoarsely. "We got to him in time," she added stepping inside further.

Shay threw her arms around Detective Lindsay, both women crying.

Erin wanted to get a grip on these emotions but somehow felt like she couldn't...they were out of control. She used to pride herself on how few times she'd cried when she was a teen. And God knows she had enough to cry about. When Detective Hank Voight strolled into her life, she was a strung out on drugs, juvenile delinquent. A junkie if she put the whole truth out there. He helped her clean up in many ways...get off drugs and get on the right side of the law. He gave her an offer she couldn't refuse...become his CI or go to juvie. Not much of a choice, and she'd resented the hell out of him. At first. How things had changed.

Now, she was an emotional mess, not what she was accustomed to. Otis handed the ladies Kleenex all around.

"Where is he? HOW is he?" asked Shay looking at the detective's hands, her shirt.

Erin wished she'd cleaned up a little, at least washed her hands off. She wished she'd called them to let them know he was alive.

"He's going to be okay. Keeler roughed him up, but he was alert, responsive, knew what was happening...asked about you Katie," answered Lindsay, trying to reassure them. Her shaking hands weren't helping.

"He's getting checked out now. I'm gonna go see..."

"I'm going with you," said Shay heading out of the room, followed by Dawson.

Katie hopped off the bed to follow, with Otis tagging behind.

"We need an update on Kelly Severide." Erin flashed her badge knowing it would get more of a response.

"We're taking him up to a room. The doctor came out but no one was here," said the nurse flippantly.

"And he couldn't wait a minute?" asked Erin. "What room?"

They reached the third floor, found his room, but it was empty. He hadn't been brought in yet.

"Can I get you something to drink? Maybe you should sit down," said Otis to Katie, concern written all over his face.

"I'm fine, Brian. I need to see Kelly. That's all." Katie started crying again and Otis silently cursed himself for saying anything. He put his arms around her tight, wishing the hurt and worry away.

"You don't know this yet about your brother. I'm really surprised Shay didn't fill you in, but he's indestructible. Right, Shay?"

Before she could respond, Kelly was pushed inside in a wheelchair, smile on his face when he saw Katie.

"Kelly," she said kneeling in front of him, burying her head in his lap crying.

He stroked her hair and thanked God she was alive, unhurt... his sister. Finding out you had a sister at age 32 was crazy, but it was the best surprise from one of Benny's indiscretions he could imagine. This beautiful, loving, talented, sweet girl is my sister, he thought with pride.

"Let me get him outta this chair and in that comfy bed," said the nurse, a younger, nicer version than the one downstairs. She reached under an arm to help him up, Otis and Shay rushing to the other side.

Shay won out and held his other arm, easing him slowly on the bed. Kelly reached for his ribs in obvious pain, but avoided calling out by gritting his teeth. He got settled in and said goodnight to Katie who was being ushered or forced back to her room with Otis following like a faithful puppy. Dawson left next saying that Casey was coming first thing in the morning, probably bringing all the guys with him.

"I'm gonna run home and get us some clean clothes. Do you need anything else? Are you going to be okay if I leave for a minute?" One question came after the next without waiting for a response.

"Shay, sleep in your own bed. I'm okay." Kelly tried to get his best friend to relax a little.

"I'll be back in a few," she said kissing him on the cheek. "He needs to rest," she continued looking at Erin with a fierce glance.

Kelly was left alone with the beautiful detective who was still standing in the corner, a good distance from the hospital bed.

"Okay, go ahead. I know you wanna let me have it, so go to it," he said waiting for round two. Waiting to be told he was a stupid ass for going to Keeler alone.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks to to everyone who's reviewed, faved, and followed. It means so much to those of us writing fanfic! Hope you enjoy.**

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"I'm not lettin' you have it," Erin said walking from her corner closer to Kelly, but not close enough for him to touch her.

"Really?" asked Kelly trying to smile a little, face hurt too much. His left eye was completely swollen shut, cheek on that side so purple it looked almost black. His upper lip was cut and also swollen. He thought he lost a few teeth, the way they rattled into what seemed his skull, but all were intact. He had six stitches in the brow above his swollen eye, where Erin had tried to wipe away the blood repeatedly.

"You look like shit. I'm gonna wait till you're feeling better. Then I'm gonna tell you that you should've trusted me to get your sister back. Should have called me."

"I heard I'm never recoverin," teased Kelly not wanting another screaming match. Wouldn't have been much of a match. Weird how much better he felt after being shot. Yeah, crap beaten out of you much worse, he thought.

"I heard you are." Erin moved in closer, taking Kelly's hand in hers. Why is it so damn hard for me to do this? I've been thinking about nothing but him, worrying, more than worrying, but I can barely hold his hand.

He closed his eyes liking the feel of the tiny, soft hand in his. He felt like he could finally relax...Katie safe. He could definitely get used to this, he thought drifting off, the meds dulling the pain.

Erin watched his rhythmic breathing also feeling like she could relax for the first time. She touched the right side of his face wishing she was able to do this when he was awake. She pulled a chair over to the bed and settled in for the night.

She was awoken about half an hour later when Shay and Jay came shuffling in with her partner gently shaking her awake.

"Hey, you ready?" he asked.

"Uh, no. I'm stayin," she said rubbing her eyes feeling like she'd been asleep for a couple of hours.

"I'm here now. You can leave. Kelly doesn't need stress, he needs rest," said Shay ready to forget their hug forged in mutual concern for the fireman. She was still pissed about what happened last time they were at Lakeshore.

"I know what he needs. I'm staying." Erin vowed it would take hell of a lot more than one blonde to pry her out of that chair.

Jay stepped in. "Let's go. I'll take you home. You need rest too. C'mon."

"Thanks for waiting, but you go. I'll call you tomorrow," Erin said, realizing she'd forgotten he had been in the waiting room all that time... waiting for her.

"Call me if you need anything. At all. I'll be by tomorrow." Jay didn't like the way he was being pushed out of the way, the way he had obviously been forgotten. Over that damn fireman. Who was gonna be just fine. Perfectly fine. He turned to leave giving Erin a small pat on the arm.

Shay slid the other chair up close to Kelly's bed. She pulled the covers up a little higher on her best friend and kissed his un-bruised cheek, barely touching it. "Gnite," she said coldly to Erin.

"Goodnight," answered the detective gruffly.

"Katie. Uh..n-n-o. N-n-o. St-o..." Shay and Erin were up and by Kelly's side, getting in each other's way trying to push in closer. "Katie!" he yelled waking himself up, pushing himself up half off the bed.

"Kelly, it's okay. Ssshhhhh," Shay guided his shoulders back down.

"Katie? Katie?" he asked confused, waking from something that seemed real...not imagined.

"Katie's fine. Remember?" Erin asked, rubbing his head, smoothing over the gray patch in front.

"Yes," he mumbled, closing his eyes tight, hand reaching out for hers.

Shay rushed out to get a nurse, demanding some pain relief for her roommate.

"Do you hurt?" asked Erin moving her hand slowly across his head, her other hand in his getting squeezed so tightly.

"Nah."

"Mr. Severide, this will take the edge off," said the older nurse assigned to his room for the day, using the remote to raise the top of Kelly's bed. "See if you can take these," she said handing him two pills. She passed a glass of water to Erin who helped him take a sip. He was out in a couple of minutes.

The doctor came in an hour later met by a roomful of people. Casey and Dawson arrived early, Boden was standing alone in the corner, and Mills just came in holding a huge platter of sweet treats courtesy of his mom. Katie was signing her discharge papers promising to get up there as soon as she could.

"Well, I didn't know so many could fit in here," the doctor laughed meandering his way to Kelly's bed, shaking the lieutenant's hand. "Dr. Anson. How are you feeling this morning?"

"Good. Good," answered Kelly meaning it. Katie was gettin' out today. That was all he needed to know.

"Can I kick everyone out for a few. Just want to examine the lieutenant, make sure everything still looks good," he said smiling.

Dr. Anson pushed around Kelly's chest, stomach, satisfied the fireman was on the mend. No complications, no bleeding. He'd been worried about the possibility of a punctured lung, but it looked like the lieutenant was listening to doctor's orders and staying in bed.

"Yes, they're still broken," he joked referring to Kelly's ribs.

"But I'm gettin' out today? You know my roommate's a paramedic?"

"One more night. Then I'm signing the release papers. Relax, enjoy the attention. I'll stop back by in a few hours. Try to sleep."

Dr. Anson was good on his word and Kelly went home the next day. Shay tried to take care of him, but he wasn't having any of it. He wouldn't let her take off an extra day let alone shift leaving her screaming at him.

"What if you need something when I'm on shift?! Huh? What then?!" she yelled.

"I'll get it myself! I'm not a freaking invalid, Shay!"

"The doctor said to take it easy, not move around too much!"

Erin had knocked twice, but there was so much racket no one answered. She let herself in, noting she needed to have a serious talk with them about safety, about leaving the door unlocked.

Shay was yelling about broken bones, resting...

"I think Dr. Anson said he should rest and didn't need stress," said Erin letting herself in.

Dead silence.

Shay stared at the small detective. Kelly shifted his gaze from one woman to the next, thinking there might be a throw down. Hell, he might have to get in between 'em, he thought.

Shay started laughing lightly, then breaking into a full on roar complete with snort. The detective joined her with that sexy as hell throaty laugh that Kelly already loved.

"Are you babysitting today?" asked his best friend.

"Yeah, I thought about it," answered Erin holding up a bag of pastries. "He doesn't listen too well though," she added.

"Oh, believe me, I know," confirmed Shay kissing Kelly on the top of the head before taking off to work. She was thankful her friend wouldn't be alone today. And he had that damn excited look on his face. The one where his eyes get all sparkly looking more like a twelve year old than the leader of squad. She decided she would play nice with this woman.

"So bonding while ya make fun of me?" asked Kelly walking over to the beautiful woman to hug her and take a look in the bag of treats.

"Pretty much. Now sit your ass down on the couch." Erin joined him. She'd called Voight and said she was out for two days. He'd tried to complain but the detective hung up. She decided she was doing this thing. Whatever this thing was, she was going to let herself be open to it.

She snuggled closer and closer to her handsome fireman as the day grew to a close. She wasn't the type to cater to anyone, but she found herself not letting Kelly do one thing. She almost followed him to the bathroom. Instead of feeling smothered, he had to admit, he liked it. He liked her. He more than liked her.

That night, Dawson did a quick drop off of dinner. As the two enjoyed arroz con pollo, Erin thought she should finally say her official sorry. She knew her actions said as much, but he deserved more.

"You know I'm sorry for all the bullshit," she said simply looking at those blue eyes, waiting for a reaction.

"I'm sorry, too. I'm glad we're gonna do this."

"Me too," she replied wanting to add more but remaining silent. Erin knew she didn't really do relationships. She could hear Voight's words about "a trail of broken hearts" she's left behind. She always said it wasn't her fault. But how many times do you get to say that, she wondered.

"Kelly, I think I should tell you, I'm not good at all this."

"I'm no pro either," said Kelly laughing. "Let's just see where it goes. No pressure. See each other when we can."

"When we can" turned into everyday. Kelly couldn't get enough of this woman. Her gruff laugh, that sexy voice, beautiful face. And who else could so thoroughly bust his balls? Maybe Shay. He'd met his match and he knew it.

Erin couldn't get enough of this guy either. She knew as much when Voight drilled her and she kept tight lipped about the new relationship. Actual relationship. It had only been a week, but she found herself thinking about him constantly. Distracted on the job...that job not being the only thing in her life. This must be what a real life is, she thought.

They kissed a little that first day while she was on her babysitting shift. Just a little...she knew his lip was hurting, his whole body hurting. She didn't want to break him...yet, she thought with a smile.

As that week went by, Severide felt better and better. The kisses lasting longer. The night before his follow up appointment, they were enjoying another night in. Kelly felt guilty as hell he hadn't been able to take her out on a real date, but she insisted this was better. It was.

"Bourne Ultimatum or Mission Impossible?" asked Kelly getting up to pop in the DVD. He wouldn't let anyone do anything for him anymore. Felt good to be able to get off his ass and do for himself.

"That's like asking a mom to pick her favorite kid," laughed Erin.

Kelly loved that she liked the same movies as him. This was no Notebook watching, crying about an old boyfriend kind of girl, and it made her that much more irresistible to the fireman. He sat back down immediately going in for a kiss. He tried to go in for more every time they'd kissed this week, but his ribs had other ideas. She pushed away every time knowing he was hurt. Every damn time. Not this time.

He started slow, gently touching her lips with his...tongue kept inside his mouth, teasing but tucked firmly away. He slowly let it come out, brushing it against her lips.

Erin's mouth began pushing in harder and harder not being able to stand the teasing, the resisting. Her hands were in his hair, trailing down his back, hard...then softer when she felt him flinch. His hands were unbuttoning her jeans making easy work of them. She pulled away briefly, taking his face in both hands, then coming back to his lips. She pulled his T-shirt off carefully and did the same with hers.

The gorgeous cop took charge and Kelly let her, knowing he wouldn't be able to pick her up, carry her to his bedroom, and throw her on his bed. That would come another time, he thought. She made her way down his stomach trailing light kisses everywhere there wasn't bruising. He thought he was going to go insane, scream, something...the slow way she teased with her mouth going further down. It was an exquisite torture Kelly had never experienced before. Not like this.

She finally reached her destination leaving Kelly feeling the best he had in such a long time. Now his turn. He teased Erin in much the same way she had. He couldn't move as much as normal, but he made up for his lack of mobility with the tender way he met all of her needs. Taking his time, stopping to give her little kisses, she knew he was the most giving lover she'd ever had.

Kelly slowly rolled off of Erin thinking about his appointment in the morning. Knowing he was gonna be just fine. More than fine.


	9. Chapter 9

**You know me and my stories...nothing can stay all happy for long. Hope you enjoy the drama!**

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"So what's going on with the fireman? Ya got him trained yet?" asked Halstead while looking through some binoculars. They'd been there all day, dusk was setting in.

"Not like I've got you trained," teased Erin looking through her own pair.

"Yeah right. That was always our problem. You can't boss me around."

"I didn't know we had a problem. And I SO boss you around." Erin pulled her binoculars down to look at her partner as if to say "what gives?"

"We don't have a problem. We're good. I just mean... I don't know what I mean."

"Spill it. You've been actin' like a girl for weeks," said Erin ready to get rid of the awkwardness that had sprung up out of nowhere. The easy way they had with each other...gone. The teasing, flirting...gone.

"I just don't know if I like him for you. Voight said his dad's a real prick, and I've heard some other things. I think you can do better," Jay finally said.

"Better? With who? You?" asked Erin in a half joking way.

"Dream on," Jay answered.

"No, YOU dream on," laughed Erin. "And since when do you and Voight discuss my relationships?"

Relationships. What the hell, thought Jay. They were in a relationship?

"Voight's havin' some cookout for the unit tomorrow. You goin?" asked Jay changing the subject.

"No. I'm slumming it with Kelly," said Erin. "Hey, movement. Our guy's makin a move!" Erin started up the car ready to roll, conversation over.

There would be no slumming it with her fireman the next day. A huge fire at a high rise saw to that. Over a hundred firefighters were called in to battle the blaze...Kelly being one of them.

"Erin, I'm sorry, but chief needs me, huge fire...he's callin in everyone. I'll call you when I get off." Kelly had been looking forward to seeing her for three days. She'd been on surveillance, he had a double shift. Their schedules not working out. And now this.

"You made it, Linds," said Voight happy to see his favorite team member. "What happened? Your firefighter move on to another piece of ass?"

"No, he still likes my ass just fine," she answered. "Huge fire. He got called in."

"Well that's too bad." Voight smiled as he moved some of the chicken to the side, away from the direct flame.

The day was better than she thought it would be. Jay acted like his old self. Things seemed to be back to normal.

"Where the hell did you learn to grill like that? This is amazing, as usual," commented Erin digging in for piece number three. She felt her phone vibrate once. Text from Kelly.

"Off. Meet me at my place?"

"At Voight's eating. See you tomorrow?"

"Sure. Call you in the a.m."

The next morning the Intelligence Unit was a flurry of activity. A dealer they hadn't seen in over a month made a surprise appearance. Three CIs called it in. They had to make a move before the scum went back under for another month or longer.

Erin called early, before sunrise.

"Kelly, sorry to do this, but we've gotta move on a dealer today. I'll probably be out of pocket all day. Maybe all night. Tomorrow?"

"Meet at Molly's tomorrow night? I need to see you. I miss you," said the lieutenant trying to picture every curve of her body in his mind.

"Yeah. I miss you too."

"Be safe," said Kelly before hanging up.

"You too, hero." She hadn't called him that since before their blowout. Felt good, she thought. Kinda rolled off the tongue.

As she suspected, Erin's day turned into night, moving into the next day. By the time they took down their guy it was almost seven p.m. She was exhausted. Molly's sounded like hell.

"Kelly. Our deal just went down. Rain check for tomorrow? I wanna go home, take a bath, drink a beer, and hit the sheets."

"Uh, sure. Or I could join you?"

"I don't think I'd be much company. Let me recharge. Then you can have all of me tomorrow."

"I like the sound of that," said Kelly wondering how he was gonna wait. No Molly's for him either. He decided moping around the house would be better. He knew they both had demanding jobs, but it didn't make him miss her any less. He wanted to see her every day, not once a week. He thought she felt the same. Tomorrow.

"You gonna open that fridge another twenty times?" asked Shay. "Let's go out. No Molly's. Just dinner." She pushed him hard from the side. He pushed back.

"Okay, okay. Let's go." he said slamming the fridge door.

"Yes!" Shay wanted some Kelly time. She knew it would also make the night go quicker...not hanging around the house missing some girlfriend. He'd called her "girlfriend" and Shay wasn't sure how she felt about it. She pushed her doubts away and let herself be happy that her best friend was happy. He deserved it. He needed to find a damn woman who would love him and treat him right. Both of them had bad luck in the woman department, she decided.

"How 'bout that steak place on Lacey?" Shay knew it was one of his favorites on the tiny street tucked away in a cute undiscovered area of their city.

"You know me so well," Kelly commented. "I'm glad you talked me into it. I wanna find out about that hot nurse you went out with last weekend."

"Ugh! Total disaster! I think I attract crazy. Bat shit crazy. Like these people can't hold it in for a few dates? The crazy comes out on the first one."

Kelly was laughing so hard by the time they got to the little steakhouse, glad he was spending time with his roommate. Shay had one disaster after another with the not so stable nurse. First, Jenna showed up dressed for a street corner not really a date.

"Thigh high boots went out with Pretty Woman, right?" she asked her roommate. "Then she proceeds to tell me about all her past relationships, crying, breaking down. This is before we even get to the restaurant. C'mon already!"

"I think you'd look pretty damn good in thigh highs. Might improve your social life," teased Kelly, the pair entering a little loudly. Shay socked him on the arm playfully.

They looked for a small table in a corner where the blonde could be her usual loud self. She also wanted to get some info from Kelly about the whole Erin thing. How were things going? Did she treat him right? How was the sex? He was spillin' it tonight.

The roommates saw them at the same time. Erin. With Jay. In the farthest corner of the little restaurant. They were eating, talking, laughing. Erin was animatedly reenacting something out...using her hands. She got up at one point and walked behind Jay to put him in a fake choke hold. They didn't even see the fireman and paramedic watching them.

"Let's go," said Shay pulling on his arm wishing her stare had the power to kill.

Kelly said nothing. He walked over to the cops with purpose.

"Erin," Kelly said as if the word left a bad taste in his mouth.

Detective Lindsay froze for a second too long before reacting. That second told volumes. That second said she was somewhere she shouldn't have been with someone she shouldn't have been with.

"Kelly!" she said clearly shocked to see the lieutenant. Erin let go of Jay's neck and headed over to Severide to give him a hug. He backed away.

"Shay. Why don't you two join us?" she continued pulling up another chair.

"Nah, wouldn't wanna intrude. Seems like you two are havin' a good time. Thought you were too tired to go anywhere? Goin' home for a beer, bath, hittin' the sheets. Or did you already do all that?" Kelly spat the words like venom.

"Don't be a dick," said Jay getting up to face the fireman.

"Kelly, sit down, please. I was starving. Voight and Jay insisted. Hank just left." She was a smart girl. She knew how this looked.

Severide didn't address Erin. He turned to Jay who was now directly in front of him.

"Don't get up on my account. We're leavin'...you have a good night."

"Just sit your ass down and listen to Linds," said Jay exasperated with how upset Erin looked.

"Don't tell me what the fuck to do," said Kelly with a death stare that could rival Voight's. "You can sit your ass down with Linds."

Kelly turned to go. Shay watched the terrible scene in wide eyed silence. She hooked her arm in her best friend's, feeling him jerk backwards.

Jay grabbed Kelly's arm, "C'mon, man. Just sit down." He wasn't letting go.

"Get your hands off of me," said Kelly in a voice so low Shay didn't recognize it. She was pulling one way, Jay pulling the other.

Kelly pulled his arm out of Shay's and pushed Jay back to break the grip he had on his arm. "Don't ever touch me again," he warned.

Jay stumbled a little tumbling back but righted himself, laughing as he contemplated two moves. One, sit down and finish his steak, or two, launch himself at Kelly and beat the shit out of him for insulting his partner. Option two won out.

Shay let out a high pitched short scream when she saw what Jay was doing. Erin popped up to get in between the two not believing a fight was going to break out. Right here in the quaint little steakhouse. Jay moved his small partner to the side... and proceeded to ram his head into Kelly's torso throwing him back, shattering one of the wooden chairs.

Kelly looked stunned that someone actually knocked him over. This asshole wanted to fight? Here? Adrenaline kicked in and he unloaded on the detective. The pair were evenly matched rolling around on the ground landing a punch here and there...neither one doing any real damage. Shay was screaming, the waitress yelled something about the cops. Erin flashed her badge saying, "We are the cops." She finally reached down grabbing Kelly by the shoulders. He stopped not wanting Erin to receive an errant blow. Jay landed a solid body hit not realizing Kelly stopped because the beautiful detective was pulling his opponent off of him.

"Ahhh, cheap shot, asshole," yelled Kelly grabbing his side, getting to his feet. Shay rushing to him feeling his ribs.

"Are you okay?" asked Erin taking a step toward the fireman, touching his arm.

"We are filing a report! You are losin' your job! This is police...police brutality!" Shay was screaming in Jay's face. The look in her eyes scared him more than any fight with the lieutenant. He wiped some blood off his brow, feeling his eye swelling up.

"Shay, shut up. Let's get the hell outta here," Kelly grabbed her hand and led her to the door, head down.

Erin was on his heels, following, calling after him. Looked pathetic, thought Jay.

"Kelly, stop. Can't we talk about this? Please stop." Erin's voice broke, sounded like begging. Made Jay hate Severide even more.

"Nothin' to talk about. Everything's fine. I'm fine. Stupid, but fine. Don't worry your pretty little head about this. This was all on me." Kelly turned to leave again fully defeated.

"You bitch. You don't deserve him. I hope you rot in hell and..." Shay was crying with every head in the place staring at all four, invested in the story unfolding before them.

"Shay, shut up," Kelly repeated determined to get out of this place, vowing to never return. He let go of his best friend's hand, walking firmly to the front door. He was outside, finally. The cold air hit him in the face and felt so good. He took in a big breath of freezing air.

Erin followed him outside. She wasn't used to someone not listening to her. The guys she dated were always so accommodating, push overs really. She always got her way, until she grew bored, and then moved on. She had to get this one to listen to her.

"Kelly, this is how you wanna end this?" yelled Erin.

"End what?" yelled Severide. "Go back in, Erin." He could see her teeth chattering, leather jacket left inside. She stood statue like making no moves to go anywhere.

""I thought we had something. Now, cause I'm eating with my partner and Voight you wanna end it? You're o-overreacting. It w-was n-nothing." Erin was shaking now with the cold seeping through her light shirt, seeming to creep into her bones.

She didn't get it, Kelly thought. He'd move hell and high water to see her, had a need to see her. A free night and he wouldn't have pissed it away with Mills and Clarke at Molly's or bullshitting with Casey at the gym or anything else. He wanted to spend every free minute with the beautiful detective. She'd rather go play grab ass with Halstead. Yeah, she didn't get it.

"K-Kelly, talk t-to me."

Jay came out with her jacket not able to wait inside any longer. He wrapped it around her shoulders and pulled her in the direction of his car.

"I love you, Kelly," Erin said turning back in a last ditch effort to get him to stop. To talk to her.

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**What do you think? Should Kelly give her a chance? Who does she belong with? Hmmm...**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks again for the reviews! Love hearing your take on things. Glad you're still interested in the story. Hope you enjoy.**

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Kelly stopped dead in his tracks not believing what he was hearing. A part of him wanted to keep on walkin, pretend he hadn't even heard it. But something else forced him to turn around and face the freezing cop who was being held by her partner, Jay's arms around her rubbing her own arms vigorously

"You wanna do this right here, right now? Sayin' somethin' you don't even… ahhh," Kelly wanted to punch something, a locker, a face, something. "We can talk tomorrow. Go home, Erin." He turned and walked to his car swiftly, Shay barely keeping pace, cursing under her breath.

Halstead led the frozen detective to his car and cranked up the heater. Even thawed out, Erin couldn't stop shaking. She saw this thing ending again. First time because she went ballistic when Kelly tried to protect her. Now, because she didn't do what she said she was going to do. Because she chose to be somewhere else other than with him. Looking at it now, she knew she hurt his feelings. That was the truth in all of it. She hurt him. What is wrong with me, she thought. Do I even know how to love someone?

Shay was silent in the car. Every time she started to say something, Kelly flatly said, "Still don't wanna talk about it."

He slammed the door at their place and stormed upstairs, hot shower being the only thing he wanted right now. The only sound…the water hitting him, no voices, no chatter, nothing but the water. His side was killing him, but the water felt good on it. He contemplated stayin in there all night.

Jay refused to just drop Erin off, insisting on coming in, making a pot of coffee. He needed to see that she was okay. He knew she wasn't, but he wanted to see her on the road to being okay before he left.

"You know you can tell me anything. We are partners. Some say that makes us closer than a married couple," joked Jay.

"You can leave. I'm fine, and there is no way in hell we are having some heart to heart right now. Thank you…but go." She opened her front door, turned around and headed straight to her bathroom, hot shower sounding like salvation.

"Okay, I'll just let myself out," commented Jay to himself grabbing a cup of joe for the road.

In the shower, Erin tried to come up with the right words to say to Kelly in the morning. Everything she scripted out didn't sound right.

"I was wrong, I should have called you."  
"I didn't mean to hurt you."  
"I do want to spend time with you."  
"I'm dumb."

She became painfully aware that every statement began with "I" and that might have something to do with the problem.

She was more of a fly by the seat of her pants kinda girl, so she settled on saying whatever came to her. Hopefully, it would be enough. She didn't want it to end, that much she was sure of. When Kelly had been missing, when she saw him bloodied and broken by Vince Keeler's hands, she knew she felt something more than a sexual attraction. She loved more than those blue eyes, that devilish grin. She loved the way he always held the door open for her, the way he insisted on paying for dinner every time, the way he would do anything for the people he loved, almost to a fault, and the way he never thought of himself, always about someone else - Shay, his team, some young boy trapped in a burning building... her.

Sleepless night for everyone. Jay's face was hurting along with a side dish of his pride. He was used to getting what he wanted. Didn't happen tonight.

Shay kept peeking in on her best friend waiting for a signal to come in. It didn't happen. Kelly heard her every damn time, but kept his eyes shut. He finally gave up on sleep and quietly headed downstairs at about three.

Erin wanted to talk to Kelly and dreaded it at the same time. She drank the entire pot of coffee and was on a caffeine high by morning. At six she started thinking about calling. Too early she reasoned. At seven she thought it might still be a little too early. Eight o'clock and she texted, "you up?"

Coward's way out.

He called her back. Damn gentleman wasn't going to text back a yes. He called so she wouldn't have to.

"Hi, Kelly," she answered.

"Good morning," he replied out of habit. Nothin good about it, he thought.

"Can I swing by?" she asked.

"We'll have more privacy if I head over there," he suggested eyeballing Shay who was trying to garner some information.

Yeah, and you don't want your best friend to scratch my eyes out, she thought.

"Okay. Thanks, Kelly. See you in a few."

"I'm headin over there. We gotta do this Shay. It can't be left with how things turned out last night." He kissed Shay on the forehead, her hands holding his face.

"It'll be okay," she said. "I could wait in the car?" she asked wide eyed and pleading, small smile affixed to her face.

"Ha,Ha," Kelly chuckled. "Nah, I'll spill my guts when I get back."

Severide swung on his leather jacket and put his head down to brace for the cold. This winter would not back down, he thought. Perfect day for this.

Shay watched the figure of her best friend walk to his car and take off, feeling a hurt in her heart for him that made her want to make it all better. She picked up her phone.

"Come for dinner? Kelly needs us."

"You got it. Is he okay?" The response from Katie was immediate.

Shay couldn't text the crap that went down last night. With a deep sigh, she called Katie. This was gonna take a while.

Why the hell am I so damn nervous, he thought clamoring out of his car and up the stairs to the detective's place.

She opened the door before he even knocked.

"Kelly, I am sorry. I get it. I'm pissing away all of this " she threw her arms around him before he knew what hit him.

He felt his body relax as he hugged her back, feeling a wetness on his shoulder...her tears. It washed the last remnants of his anger away. That desire to kick Jay's ass was pretty much gone too.

"Ssshhh," he whispered. "It's okay. Don't cry," he murmured pulling her in tightly, ignoring his sore side and his sore ego.

Erin pulled away brushing her tears aside, shutting her door. She pulled Kelly by the hand into her living room, gently pushing him on the couch. She sat down next to him.

"No," she shook her head. "Not okay." She looked at his face and knew the words she said last night were true. She was falling in love with this man. No, that's not what you said, she thought. I am in love with this man.

"I told you before I don't know how to do this...this relationship thing. I made that painfully obvious last night." She stopped to look at him, to see if she should even continue. The small smile on his face encouraged her to go on.

"I suck at havin a boyfriend. I can barely say that word. But Kelly, I want you. I let Voight drive me to the restaurant. I don't know why. It's almost like I wanna screw this up. Ugh! I AM so screwed up!" Erin buried her face in her hands not knowing what else to say, so frustrated with herself...wanting to be someone else, not this girl. Not this girl who couldn't let a good thing happen. Who couldn't take someone's love and let it be. Always have to have the last word, be in control.

"I am a goddamn mess," she whispered face still down.

Erin could feel Kelly's arms around her, warm body pressed against hers. Instead of making her feel better, it made her hate herself more.

"Don't!" she almost yelled, pushing away. "I don't deserve this. Yell at me! Tell me I'm a bitch!" she was inches away from his face. She didn't see a trace of anger in his. "I don't deserve you." She said the last words so softly, they were practically inaudible.

"I think I got it all out last night," he said putting his arms around her again in a grip she wasn't getting out of. "Punchin something helped," he added hoping Jay's face was as sore as his side.

"Tell me I didn't ruin everything with us. Again. Tell me what you're thinking."

"I'm thinking I was jealous. Seein you with your arms around Halstead made me wanna kick his ass."

"I was giving him a fake choke hold...it wasn't a hug or anyth..." Here I go again, gotta get the last word. "Sorry."

"I don't know. I was more surprised than anything. I wanted to see you...more than anything else. I thought you..."

"I did. I do," Erin interrupted. "Sorry, go ahead."

"I shoulda never engaged with Halstead. Sorry about that. But I am gonna say that he wants something with you. Something more than cop business. It pisses me off."

Erin was quiet not having anything to say about that last bit. On some level she knew Kelly was right.

"I think I'm repeating myself, but let's give it a shot. See where this thing heads. I'm not gonna have expectations. If we can see each other, great, if we're busy, well..."

"No. I mean, that's not what I want. I do want you, Kelly. Not a casual thing, but an all the time thing."

"Since we're tellin the truth, I'm just gonna say it. I don't know if I can do that right now. I get so far in, when things end, I gotta dig myself out. Let's give it a little time and see where this thing goes. Okay?"

"Uh, yeah. I'll take that," said Erin smiling but feeling like on some level she'd lost a part of Kelly that she had before last night. She was getting it back. But for now, she said, "You still up for today?"

Kelly had forgotten this was the day they were supposed to spend together, the day he couldn't wait for.

"Sure. Let me check this first," he said pulling out his phone that was vibrating every thirty seconds. "Shay."

He texted something back.

"Katie's there. I need to go. Sorry," Kelly looked at the crestfallen look and felt a twinge of guilt.

Erin knew she'd blown it. She was now officially behind Shay and Katie in the lieutenant's priorities.

"You could come with me. I'm sure my sis is whipping up something good for breakfast or lunch or something."

"Are you sure?" Erin asked doubtfully a little afraid of facing two of Kelly's biggest supporters.

"Yeah. C'mon."

As soon as the pair entered, Erin thought maybe she should've called for backup. The eyes of the two women on her read murder. Her murder. She was pretty sure that if a death stare could work, she would be one dead cop.

"Hey, sis!" Kelly's eyes lit up as happiness swept over his face. He headed to Katie and grabbed her tight, lifting her up a little.

She laughed returning the hug and kissing Kelly on the cheek.

"Ah," he said under his breath putting her down, his side tweaked in a way that made it feel worse.

"What's wrong?" she asked smile replaced with worry.

"Nothing's wrong. You're here, right?" he said grabbing a bottled water from the fridge for Erin. He unscrewed the cap a little for her, and yes, she knew she didn't deserve this guy. The way he did thoughtful things like that without a second though...coming second nature to him.

I'm an asshole, thought Erin. Confirmed when she looked into the eyes of Shay and Katie.

"Hello, Erin," said Shay with Kelly's prodding eyes on her.

"Hi, Erin," said Katie a little less hostile.

"Hi. I hope it's okay that Kelly invited me," she said voice a little raspier than usual.

Silence.

"Sure it is," answered Kelly. "Katie can only cook for an army, and I smell something delicious in here," he said lifting lids and sampling every pan. Katie swatted him with a kitchen towel snapping it right on his butt.

"Ow! Who taught you that?" Kelly grabbed another towel snapping away.

They all laughed a little, the tension brought down to simmering.

Brunch was so quiet the clanking of forks on plates the noisiest thing at the dining table.

"You know it's good when no one's talkin," said Kelly getting up to pile on seconds. "Sis, you outdid yourself." The eggs Benedict was better than any Kelly'd ever had.

No one's talking because you brought the wicked witch of the west to breakfast, thought Shay.

"Thanks, Kelly. I could cook for you every day. I love that you love my cooking," said Katie smiling broadly at the huge second helping he had piled on his plate. "How are you? Really?" she asked growing serious.

"How are you? You feelin good? New York still a go?"

"I asked you first," Katie replied with the stubborn attitude of a middle schooler.

"I'm all good. Keeler hits like a girl," joked Kelly.

"You'd tell me if not, right?"

"Yep. Of course."

"Brian has been so great during all of this. I am still going to New York, but I don't want to talk about that today because I can't wait to open the restaurant, but I'm sad to leave everyone I love." She got up to take her plate to the kitchen and kissed Kelly on the head.

Erin didn't say much. She shouldn't have come. Kelly didn't say three words to her, focused on his sister. She was the third wheel. Make that fourth wheel. Maybe not even a wheel.

She was relieved when she got a text from Voight.

"Keeler made bail"

"Shit," she said aloud.

"What?" asked Kelly turning to her for practically the first time that day. He wasn't consciously ignoring her, wanting to spend time with Katie.

"Keeler made bail, finally. His deadbeat family must've scrounged together the cash. Voight put the squeeze on every bails bondsman to avoid him like the plague." Erin said putting her coat on, looking for where she out her purse.

"Voight should have put a bullet in him when he had the chance," she muttered thinking about the beat down her makeshift father and Olinsky gave the thug when they'd found Kelly. Yes, they should have finished the job then, thought Erin.

"Jesus, I don't even have my car. Can I get a ride back to my place?"

"Yep," answered Kelly kissing Katie on the cheek.

"Nope, you stay with your sis. I'll take her," replied Shay knowing her roommate was gonna miss the hell out of his sister. "I'll play nice," whispered Shay as she passed Kelly to get her heavy coat.

Severide looked at the detective doubtfully, eyebrows raised in a question.

"You okay with that?" he asked.

"Sure, why not?" answered Erin.

Uh, you might end up dead, thought Katie not envying Erin one bit.

"I'll call you later, let you know what's goin on. Katie, you stay here. I'm sending a squad car to park outside, just in case." She kissed Kelly on the cheek rubbing his arm a little on the way out.

Shay was already outside the door giving her an "I don't have all day" look.

Yeah, this was going to be a hell of a ride, thought Erin stepping out into the cold winter weather made a little colder by the icy stare of one paramedic.


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you again for the reviews, faves, and follows! This one has another couple of chapters before it's a wrap. Hope you enjoy. It was fun to write. **

**Working on another tag team fic with mom2jlg called A Deal with the Devil - be on the lookout for that one soon. **

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Kelly didn't think twice about Erin and Shay being in the same car. He was focused on his sister and making damn sure nothing happened to her. Otis, uh, Brian was heading over. Big brother wasn't thrilled with that but Katie insisted. He'd never been Severide's favorite, but the young man loved his sister. That was obvious, so it raised him a little in Kelly's mind. They had their nerd thing going on and the lieutenant was cool with that. Whatever made her happy.

It was eerily quiet the first five minutes on the drive to Erin's. Shay was thinking about what to say for once and not just spewing the first thing that came to mind.

"I'm not sayin this to scare you or anything...but if you hurt Kelly again I will kill you." Yes, she settled on THAT as the best way to start a conversation.

It took everything in Erin not to burst out laughing. That skinny little blonde thinks she can hurt me? Do anything to me? She didn't laugh seeing the serious look on Shay's face. She also knew the motivation for the threat. Love. Something the roommates shared...plain for anyone to see. Something she wanted but had such a hard time with.

"It's never gonna come to that," started Erin smiling. "I care a lot about Kelly. I know I am shitty at showin it, but I do."

"Yeah, you are," replied Shay. "He doesn't seem like it, but he's got a huge heart. He'd do anything for someone he loves."

"I knew that the first time I met him," interrupted Erin. "The very first time I talked to him."

"One word from me and you're out. Because in case you haven't figured it out, Kelly and me...we're solid." Shay knew on some level she sounded like a jealous 8th grade girlfriend, but the words kept flowing out like some volcano violently erupting. Did I just say "solid," she asked herself. But just like that volcano, there was no stopping now.

"Kel deserves someone who will love him... and to be honest, I don't think you're that person. He's had his share of, um..." Shay struggled for the right word.

"Disappointment?" offered Erin.

"Yes, disappointment. No, more than disappointment." Shay thought of the latest Renee baby fiasco. How thrilled Kelly was at thinking he would be a daddy. Only to find out that it wasn't even his. She never thought he'd be ready for something serious so soon.

They stopped in front of Erin's place, but the conversation was nowhere near finished.

"Come up," said the detective. "I'll make coffee."

"Kay," agreed Shay shuffling out of the car.

Shay's eyes surveyed the place taking in the cleanliness, the soft feel...the pillows on the couch, the throws. Everything looked feminine but not prissy, beautiful but not showy. Looks like...what? Looks like Erin, thought Shay. One thing missing, pictures. The photos of family and friends that Severide and Shay had littered throughout their place...not here. She walked to a small bookcase in the back seeing one small, framed picture in it.

Erin was searching for another pack of filters for her old fashioned coffee pot. Loved the smell of the coffee brewing. She'd taken back the Keurig Hank got her at Christmas time. Jay constantly gave her crap about it. "Come into the 21st century babe," he had teased waiting impatiently leaning over the counter staring at the gurgling pot. Deep down he liked the taste of her coffee, but would never admit it.

Shay pressed in closer inspecting the picture. It was a really young looking Erin, smiling but not much joy behind those eyes. She was sitting on a bench in some park and sitting next to her, arm around her shoulders was Detective Voight, also looking much younger. Shay guessed ten years ago, maybe more.

"Coffee will just take a few. Can I get you water? Juice?" asked Erin coming from the kitchen smoothing her hair in a loose pony tail pointing at the couch for Shay to sit down.

"No. I'm good." Shay sat tucking her legs up under her.

Erin plopped on the leather chair next to Shay pulling a throw over her legs.

Erin looked at the blonde waiting for her to continue.

Shay was nervous now, being in someone else's territory. Erin's territory.

"I don't know how much Kelly told you, but it's been a hell of a year for him. Personally that is."

"He told me about Renee and the baby... Uh, mix up."

"Wasn't really a mix up, Erin. Renee lied to him. I don't want him to EVER go through that again. Ever."

"Shay, I don't know what I can say to convince you. I don't want to hurt Kelly. Ever." She sighed knowing that if she was to have any shot with the fireman, she'd have to get this woman on her side...or at least not against her.

"I screwed up. I know I did. I'm not good at all this, dating, relationships. I don't have a clue how to be a girlfriend. But I wanna try. Kelly makes me wanna try," Erin said honestly. She didn't want to get into her crappy childhood, not much love in that. Voight and Justin really the only men in her life who didn't run off, didn't leave.

"I believe you. I do," said Shay slowly. She could feel that this woman was telling the truth. Maybe even loved Kelly on some level. "I'm worried. I worry about him. That's what I do. I don't know if you have what he deserves inside you."

Erin didn't know what to say. She had the same doubts about herself.

"I'm asking for a shot here. A chance. I'm gonna put everything into it. I am. Believe me when I say I want Kelly in my life, permanently."

Shay didn't know what to say.

"Hopefully, we'll both make it out alive," joked Erin trying to get some response from Kelly's best friend.

Shay laughed lightly watching Erin get up to pour two cups of coffee.

"Sugar? Cream?"

"Both, please."

She handed Shay her cup ready for round two. It didn't come. Shay decided that she'd let Kelly and Erin take their shot. She wouldn't interfere. Kelly'd seen her through how many episodes with Clarice...never any judgment, not even one discouraging word. She was gonna do the same. Try to do the same.

"Don't you need to call Voight? Find out about that Keeler asshole?" asked Shay thinking about the thug who hurt her friend, worry starting to resonate in her gut.

"Yeah. But don't worry. Nothin's happening to him this time...or Katie." Erin listened to Voight's phone go to voicemail. "Hank, call me. I need to know what's happening with Keeler."

Erin proceeded to tell Shay about how they'll most likely go after the criminal, form a sort of net around the city, reassuring the paramedic that Keeler was slippery, but not that slippery.

Shay was convinced that this detective would get her man, Keeler that is. She had to admit she liked the way Erin was so passionate about her job, good at it.

"I better head back," said Shay after her second cup of coffee.

"Oh, yeah. Sure," said Erin rising to walk the blonde to the door. "Thanks, Shay." What she was thanking her for she didn't quite know...maybe the quiet understanding that Kelly's best friend wasn't going to put a stop to this new relationship.

"You'll call me when you hear anything about Keeler?"

"Of course. Give Kelly a hug for me," she added not believing she said that. Give him a hug for me? Who am I and what have you done with the real Erin? Next, I'm gonna be asking for her to tell him to call me.

Shay got in the car and figured she better call the fireman back...he'd left five texts.

Kelly did eventually get around to thinking about the two women, one he loved, the other he...what? Loved? Already?

It had been a couple of hours, too long for a quick drop off. The conversation with Otis and Katie had officially entered the land of nerdville with no return. They were getting into the intricacies of Star Trek Next Generation versus Deep Space Nine versus Generations. Kelly's head was spinning with all the scifi talk. Perfect time to call Shay, send for a rescue.

Shay called him first.

"Everyone okay?" he asked.

"Yes, I didn't have to kick her ass. You should be proud of me. I did play nice and we reached an understanding."

"Oh hell, Shay. That doesn't sound good," he laughed. "You headin back? Maybe you should stay at Dawson's tonight. Just in case."

"Nah. I'm comin home. One thing's for sure, you're girlfriend's kind of a bad ass. I think she'll get Keeler."

"Yeah, why do you think I like her. That bad ass..." Kelly laughed.

"You're disgusting. I'll be there in a few," snorted Shay wondering how men never really grew up. Boys will be boys...forever, she decided smiling.

"Hey, drive safe. And thanks for not killin anyone."

Shay walked through the door and knew she was saving the day. Kelly launched at her, big hug, normal kiss on the forehead. Then a glance and nod toward the cute couple in a heated argument about the merits or lunacy of making Starbuck a female in the newer Battlestar Galactica. Kelly made a "slit his wrists" motion causing Shay to laugh and roll her eyes. They moved to the couch...Katie and Otis not taking the slightest notice of the roommates.

"You gonna tell me what happened?"

"Don't wanna talk about it," teased Shay using Kelly's own words. It took a while for her best friend to stop laughing. When he did, Shay told him every detail of her visit with Erin.

"I'm going to be the supportive friend that I am and hope for the best." To which Kelly laughed even louder.

"What? What?" demanded Shay.

"Just pick a movie. I'm not gettin off this couch tonight." His face was a little sore...it seemed like the fight took place days ago, not just last night. His side was another story. It burned as if a hot poker was shoved in deep, getting worse throughout the day. He was pretty sure that asshole cop sucker punched him a broken rib. Felt the same as when Keeler worked him over but to a lesser degree...just one, maybe two this time.

Kelly also knew there was nothing he could do other than ice and ibuprofen. No point in worrying Shay.

She popped in The Transporter. "How bout a little classic Jason Statham?" Shay said excitedly jumping on the couch next to Kelly. His grimace as she shook the cushions told her enough. She jumped back up.

"Where ya goin'?" he asked pausing the movie. He watched her as she got an ice pack out of the freezer and ran back to the fireman. She put it over his shirt right where he hurt. How the hell does she know where to place the damn thing, he thought.

"Better?" Shay asked.

"Better."

Erin strolled into PD the next day ready to help Voight bring in Vince Keeler once and for all.

"Linds, Halstead filled me in on what happened last night. In my office." he looked pissed which only made Erin pissed. What the hell did she do? How was she responsible for the fight?

"What the hell went down at that restaurant? How does one of my detectives, on the damn intelligence unit, my unit, end up in a fist fight with your play thing of the month?" Voight was yelling, making Erin even more furious.

"And this is my fault, exactly how? Halstead grabbed Kelly, Kelly pushed him and Jay unloaded. How is this on me?!" She could definitely hold her own in the yelling department.

"You're touchy feely with him all day! It's no wonder he thinks he's gettin some at the end of shift! Partners do not make good partners, if ya know what I mean?"

"Mind your own business!" screamed Erin. "Good talk!" She stormed out of Voight's office ready to start her own fist fight.

"That seemed to have gone well," muttered Jay as Lindsay stormed past.

"Don't start with me."

"Halstead! In here now!" screamed Voight ready to lay down the law with his young team member. He knew this one would listen better than Linds. He needed to feel like someone was payin attention. Jay would do.

The day was spent canvassing the city, following up on Keeler leads to no avail. It did leave plenty of time for talk. Erin did most of it. She made sure Jay knew that she considered him one of her best friends, really only friends. She knew he had her back always, and she loved that.

"And I have yours, always," she told him. And with that, Jay Halstead was moved straight into the friend zone, no more ambiguity. He couldn't deny the pull on his heart, but he also knew he could live with this. For now.

Kelly went back on shift the next day and made it through with no serious rescues. He spent most of the day in his office, doing paperwork and texting Erin. She still hadn't tracked down Keeler, but Voight said he had a feeling today was the day.

Best part of his shift was when the beautiful detective strolled in around noon.

"Hey, what are you doin here?" asked Kelly strolling to the front, huge grin spreading across his face.

"Wanted to see my handsome fireman. I knew you'd cheer me up," she said giving him a big hug, loving that warm, strong feel of his arms around her. She looked up at his face, caressing his cheek, glad he didn't look too bruised. Jay's face got the worse of it for sure. Voight took Halstead with him to follow up on a lead, telling Erin to get outta that bitchy mood. This should do the trick, she thought looking into those blue eyes.

"Eat lunch with us," said Kelly grabbing her hand and leading her to the kitchen like a little boy. "Guys, say hello to Erin."

"Hello, Erin," said Hermann, Mouch, and Cruz at the same time, cracking themselves up.

"So you heard I was cookin and couldn't stay away?" asked Mills stirring something in a huge pot. Whatever it was had to be delicious thought Erin trying to figure out what that delectable smell was.

"You could have this every night," he continued admiring the gorgeous brunette.

"And you could end up back on truck," replied Kelly giving him his death stare.

The next few weeks rolled by, each one adding a new level to the Erin/Kelly relationship. She had become a fixture at 51, the guys growing to love her sense of humor, and the easy way she busted Severide's balls. She went places they didn't dare.

It didn't go unnoticed the way she cared for her fireman either...giving him a massage when it looked like he was hurting, little kisses snuck in here or there, the ice packs discreetly administered to any aching areas. Shay saw all this and could let out a sort of apprehensive breath she'd been unconsciously holding.

Kelly was tough on the outside, but soft on the inside. Only those who knew him best would ever see that part of Severide. He was a naturally a caring person and had no problems letting Erin know exactly how he felt.

She'd let it slip that her birthday was right around the corner, not looking forward to it, getting old, she told him laughing. That was when he decided to throw her the mother of all parties. It was going to be all Erin. He invited her cop friends only, no firemen...Otis, Gabby, and Hermann his only buddies in attendance working the bar. He ordered a huge red velvet cake, her favorite and had Mrs. Mills cater the event. She was getting her new business up and running and was thrilled to help out.

Kelly even made nice with Jay Halstead before the party. He met the cop for coffee early one Saturday morning unbeknownst to Erin. He apologized for the fight; Jay apologized for the fight and the two shared an awkward handshake. He didn't need this guy's blessing, honestly didn't care what the detective thought about him. He did care that his girlfriend wanted them to get along. So he would.

When Erin walked into Molly's that night she was overwhelmed. The cake, her cake...all her friends from the station, everyone she cared about there. Brought together by one fireman. Tears overflowed immediately with thoughts of the one person missing...Jules. Her work sister, surrogate mom, confidante...oh, Jules. She missed those sparkling blue eyes, the conversations about family. Damn, you would sure come in handy helping me navigate this relationship thing, she thought with a small smile. She pushed the sad thoughts away, and took in more of the happy scene.

No one had ever done this for her...a party so huge, so beautiful, so perfect. Just for her. Hank always kept things low key, quiet birthday dinners at nice restaurants usually on the owner for some shady favor Voight had performed. They were nice, but this was unbelievable.

"God, Severide. What are you trying to do? Make me fall in love with you or something?" Erin whispered in his ear taking his arm, pulling him in tight for a kiss.

Erin hadn't said the L word since the night of their blow out to get him to stop and listen to her.

Kelly smiled at her wet face knowing this was perfect. The worry, the planning, the second guessing, all worth it.

"I love you too, Erin," he whispered in her ear.

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**Hmmm, so is Erin really in love? Do you think Kelly will get his happily ever after? Two more and this one's done. Been so much fun writing about two cut from the same cloth.**


	12. Chapter 12

**One more chapter after this one. Hope you enjoy!**

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Erin didn't say she loved Kelly. Not that night and not the next one, or the one after that. Strangely, he was okay with it. He could somehow feel that she did, but couldn't bring herself to say the words. It didn't stop him.

When hanging up, he would say, "Love you." Walking her out of the station, "Love you, gorgeous."

She usually pulled him in for a long kiss, letting him know how she felt. They always say actions speak louder than words, she rationalized. She knew he knew. Right? He had to know she told herself.

Once in a while she would say, "Me too" which made him look at her funny.

Little by little she let Severide in...told him about her missing dad, druggie mom, her own teen years of drugs and petty crimes. She got to the rescue by Voight and Kelly had a whole new respect for the gruff detective. More to Voight than met the eye, he decided. Guess that's with most of us, he thought.

He also understood why she wasn't free with the love word. It hadn't been showered on her as a child, and she didn't know quite what to do with it now. An odd dichotomy she was...tough, hardened by life, but also the first one to open her heart to a prostitute hooked on meth, the first one to cry at a tragic scene they would all try to forget. She had so much love inside her, Kelly could see that, feel that. He was good with how things were. He felt more loved now than he had the whole time he'd been with the first Renee. She had showered him with "I love you's" all the way up to the time she cheated on him three days before their wedding. That kind of love he could do without, he thought bitterly.

It did bother Erin. Every time she tried to say, "I love you, Kelly" she mumbled something else or went to her go to move of deep, long kiss. God, I feel like I do love him. Why the hell can't I say it?

She had no one to talk to about her problem, her damn issues. She had Halstead and Voight. A lot of help there. Voight loved her, showing her time and time again, but give her relationship advice? Not happening in this lifetime.

And things were not going to ever get to the point where the partners could talk about a serious relationship. Jay would talk about the latest piece of ass he was "dating," Erin giving him hell about it. But no... talking about being in love with someone else didn't feel right.

The person she talked to the most at the moment was Kelly. She had told him more than anyone. He knew her better than almost anyone. And he still wants to love me, she wondered on more than one occasion.

Things picked up at the station, Boden calling it "the fire season." A slow night just didn't happen anymore. There were rumblings about a possible fire bug on the loose. Chief wouldn't hear about it...he was just recovering from the Hadley fiasco. He'd had the hardest time wrapping his head around the fact that one of his own had set all those fires, had gone after his men.

Kelly was exhausted after every shift, but the thought of not seeing Erin didn't enter his mind. Another reason he knew he was so far gone there'd be no coming back from that beautiful cop. Give me time for a quick shower, was always his response when she asked if he felt like coming over. The shower and the thoughts of feeling that silky hair against his face was motivation enough. Hearing that raspy laugh in his head would make him move a little quicker. By the time he strode out of the house, he was reinvigorated.

When Shay was on shift or just out for the night, Erin would come over. She loved saving Kelly the trip. His job had been nonstop lately...she knew that. The buzz about a possible arsonist had reached CPD. She hoped it was just talk. She didn't need to worry anymore about him. Her job had enough worries.

Best part about heading to his place? He would wait for her to arrive before taking his shower. And the one with her was never quick.

"I need someone to scrub my back," he would tell her playfully. She was more than willing to oblige.

"Shay needs to move out. Tomorrow," teased Erin as she lathered up the lieutenant.

"I'll get right on that," laughed Kelly loving the feel of her hands on him. Loving the way she reacted to his.

Washing her hair was the most unexpected pleasure. He'd never done it with any of his other girlfriends, but now he couldn't wait to shampoo her long, deep brown hair. It was in the way she responded that made him know that yes, this was one of the simple pleasures in life.

They usually whipped up something quick and easy together, heading to bed early but not for sleep. They were more than familiar with every curve of each other's bodies, but familiarity didn't breed complacency. Not even close. One touch could send the other a little over the edge.

It definitely did on this particular night. Kelly finally rolled over draping his arm across Erin ready to let the comfort of sleep envelop him.

"Kelly, I'm happy. Are you?" Erin asked kissing him on his cheek loving the look of his peaceful face, eyes closed.

"Hell, yeah," he mumbled fading fast.

"You have the most beautiful face," whispered Erin. Kelly garbled something incoherent. He made another sound, almost human.

"I love you, Kelly Severide," Erin whispered barely audible, pulling his arm around her tighter, wishing they could stay like that forever... warm, happy, and safe. Always like this. He was fast asleep.

They woke up knowing they had a rare day off together, both dreaming of staying intertwined in bed all day long. A barbecue at Voight's was the harsh reality.

Kelly didn't have a problem with the older detective. He respected him for "saving" Erin, for loving her, for playing surrogate father to the woman he loved. Voight also respected the lieutenant from 51. He'd been skeptical hearing the rumors about the firefighter...his womanizing ways. Taking a bullet for Erin went a long way in alleviating those doubts. The birthday party cemented Severide's good graces in Voight's eyes. Seeing Erin so happy every time she saw the fireman, the way he looked after her, obviously loved her, erased any lingering doubts. This was not a simple case of Benny Severide's kid following in dad's footsteps.

When Kelly and Voight went out to smoke cigars at Erin's party, she knew Kelly had won over the older man. Now, Hank insisted that Kelly come to most of his gatherings. Jay and Kelly played a game of being cordial but also avoiding each other, any long conversations.

On this day, when they went out to smoke, Voight had an agenda.

"So what do you hear bout this fire bug?" asked the gravelly voiced detective.

"Boden's in denial. I'd say it's pretty cut -n dry. Someone's settin' these fires. Definitely."

"I was afraid of that." said Voight.

"My turn to ask somethin'. What's the latest on Keeler? You gonna let that asshole get away with kidnapping my sister?" asked Kelly hoping to get under the detective's skin a little.

"He'll pay. Mark my words, he'll pay. You just be careful in the meantime. That asshole doesn't let go of anything. We think he's killed two people who rubbed him the wrong way."

"And he got away with those murders, so you're sayin..."

"Just watch your back till I bust him. Is that too much to ask? Erin will kill both of us if anything happens to you."

"Haha! You are crazy, old man. Keeler's worrying about gettin out of the charges not adding to 'em." laughed Kelly. No way in hell, Keeler was cookin up anything else.

"First, if you ever call me old man again, I'll hand you your ass on a platter. Second, you don't know this douche bag like I do." Voight laid out his theory of how Keeler was still on a path of revenge against the fireman who'd humiliated him.

Kelly argued that it was one bloody nose...the thug had to have moved on. Had to be more concerned with beating the charges against him than beating a fireman. Keeler had gone dark when he was first released from jail, but now he'd decided on another tactic. He lawyered up, came out of hiding, and began declaring his innocence, loudly. Kelly wanted off this Keeler roller coaster... now.

"I'm telling you this so you'll be careful, you'll keep an eye out," warned Voight. "And your sister? Katie? Did she make it to New York?"

"Yeah, she's all settled in."

"Things going well? The restaurant what she expected? No problems? Cause I've got my people up there that can..."

"No, no. Everything's great. She's happy." Other than leaving Kelly and Otis, Katie was hitting her stride. The job was a dream, her boss the best mentor a young chef could ask for. Other than missing the hell out of her, all was well in the Katie department.

Kelly's mind kept drifting back to Vince Keeler all night. Back at Erin's place, he couldn't shake the feeling that Voight may be right. What the hell next would happen? Shay hurt? Erin? Someone else he cared about? He wished that guy would just roll over and die.

"Kelly, what's wrong? What did Voight say to you? Did he give you shit about something? About me?"

"Nah, nothing like that. He, uh, asked me about Katie. I miss my sister, that's all." It was only partially a lie justified Kelly. He did miss his sister.

Kelly worked nonstop for five days. A bunch of guys came down with the flu leaving Boden short on every shift. Erin made time to drop by at least for a few minutes every one of those days.

"Is your chief tryin to kill you or something?" she asked dropping off some of Kelly's favorite cannolis, chocolate creme mascarpone.

He felt his mouth start to water just seeing the bag.

"Eyes up here," said Erin sternly. "Are you even listening to me?" she asked furious at Boden for asking Kelly to pull a double.

"I volunteered, Erin. Chief needs me."

"I need you," retorted Lindsay frowning.

"One more day. Then I'm off for three. Don't give me shit about this."

"All you're gonna want to do is sleep," she said sadly, a pouty look on her face. She didn't do cute, pouty...but here she was doing it.

"I have a couple of other things in mind," said Kelly innocently pulling in the detective for a kiss and hug, trying to grab a cannoli.

"Get a room!" yelled Hermann spying the two kissing.

"I wish! But he'd need a day OFF for that" yelled Erin right back causing all the men to crack up. She hoped Boden could hear all the way in his office.

That night was so quiet no one said anything for fear of jinxing it. Most retired to their bunks to get at least a few minutes of shut eye. Kelly tossed and turned missing the familiar feel of Erin sleeping next to him, seeing the bloodied face of Vince Keeler in his dreams. He woke up in a sweat every few minutes.

It was after six when Mouch put an end to their quiet day.

"That was the best sleep I've had in a week," he yawned plopping in his spot on the couch.

"Engine 51...Truck 81...Ambulance 61...Squad 3...One vehicle collision, victims trapped...119th and Halsted"

"Jesus, Mouch! You had to ruin it, didn't ya?" asked Hermann rushing to the truck.

"He didn't wreck the damn car," yelled Kelly. "Quit your bitchin. Let's go!"

"Don't get pissy with your elders. We know your missin' your girl. I'd be missin' that too," Hermann yelled back to squad's lieutenant.

"I'm callin' Cindy the second we get back to let her now you're missing my girlfriend!" Kelly pulled himself into the truck relishing the look on Hermann's face. Putty in my hands when I mention Cindy, thought Kelly with a laugh.

The wreck was no laughing matter. A car was hanging precariously on an overpass trying to decide whether to teeter or totter...stay up or topple over the edge.

Parked to the side was Erin and Halstead, guns drawn circling the swaying car.

"Stay back!" yelled Erin at the firemen, rushing to Kelly and Boden.

"Hey, don't worry, we'll stabilize the vehicle and get everyone outta..." Kelly began smiling at how Erin was really worried.

"It's Vince Keeler in there. I wouldn't give a shit if that thing flips over and flattens that asshole once and for all. We were chasin him, closing in and he loses it."

"So you want me to give it a little kick?" asked Kelly only partly joking.

"No. Here's the real kicker. He's got a niece in there. You believe that? Lead police on a high speed chase with an eleven-year old in the car. Nice."

"Clarke!" yelled Kelly, tone changing in an instant. "Strap this bitch on the back of the truck! There's a kid in there!" He was running to the car, Erin on his heels.

"Whoa, Kelly. Wait up. Keeler's still dangerous. Hold up!" Erin yelled.

"Let me get the girl out, then I'll tip the car over myself, okay? Now, back up and let us work!" Severide wasn't messing around.

Kelly peered in the car. He instantly saw a girl in the back seat crying, shaking, trying to pull on the door handle.

"Hey, sweetie. Don't move, okay? Stay still. I'm coming in to get you in about one minute. What's your name?" Kelly looked around to see what progress Clarke was making. Almost there.

"We're good, Severide!"

Door was so bashed in, hard to tell where it was supposed to hinge to the frame. He knew he'd have to go in through the back window.

"Sweetie. Cover your face. Crouch down. I'm breakin the glass, then we're getting you outta there." Kelly barely looked in the front seat, glancing at Keeler once. The thug was slumped over in the passenger seat, not moving. Someone else was driving, blood pouring from his head, looked dead.

Kelly was focused on the girl.

"Eyes on Keeler?" asked Erin.

"Yeah. Not movin." Kelly broke in the glass and tried to reach his hand to the little girl, to lure her out. She wasn't moving. Frozen with fear, crouched with her hands on her head.

"Let's get you out of here," tried Kelly again stretching in further. She still wasn't budging. Kelly pushed himself all the way into the car, hearing it protest with a shriek of metal grinding against pavement.

"C'mon, Severide!" yelled Clarke not liking the stress put on the cable keeping the car from plunging below.

Kelly reached in roughly pulling at the girl. His touch seemed to wake her up and remind her that she wanted out of the wrecked car. She sprung into his outstretched arms knocking him back through the window a little.

"I gotcha, I gotcha," he reassured, pulling her to safety. Shay was at his side instantly.

"Come here. You're okay," Shay said stroking the now sobbing girl's back. "You okay?" she asked Kelly.

"Great. Now I get to drag that asshole out of there," he said heading back to the car. He crawled back in and felt the driver's neck from behind, nothing.

"This one's gone," he called to Erin who was moving closer in on the passenger side. She couldn't get up to Keeler because his door was perched halfway between the safety of cement and a bunch of air leading straight down.

"Hurry up!" she called looking at Clarke for some sign that everything was alright, the cable was going to hold. Problem was he looked as frantic as the cop.

Kelly reached out to touch Keeler's neck. A hand grabbed his wrist hard pulling it and him forward. He yanked against it, but was taken by complete surprise.

"What the hell..." he said under his breath.

Keeler reached his other hand back yanking Kelly further into the seat, the car screaming with a metallic sound, cable stretched to maximum capacity. Vince snaked on top of Kelly in the back seat, revenge on his mind. He wasn't the only one.

Kelly looked into the eyes of the killer and could think of one thing...Katie. This asshole kidnapped my sister. Severide flipped Keeler over, sending the car into a rocking spasm. He couldn't hear Erin screaming, Clarke barking commands, or even Boden calling into the car from the back window. He sent a rein of blows into the criminal's face, Keeler getting in a few swings, but mostly holding up his hands defensively.

Kelly kept at it, oblivious to the car threatening to plunge to the street below. The rage inside him boiling over, spilling onto the face of Keeler. The criminal finally got his bearings and started fighting back, using his legs to get Kelly off of him. They exchanged blows in the tight quarters ignoring the warning sounds coming from the car.

"Severide! If you don't get your ass outta there, I'm suspending you for a month!" Boden yelled in through the back.

"Kelly! Please! Get the hell out of there!" Erin was screaming, seeing fists flying while picturing the car plummeting to the street below.

Boden signaled to Clarke, pointing at the car. The fireman latched himself to the truck, sliding into the car from the back. He reached over and grabbed Kelly's collar, yanking furiously. Kelly swatted the hand away punching Keeler's already bloodied face. Clarke pulled him with everything he had, lifting him up a little, getting his attention. Kelly grabbed Keeler's arm and pulled him just as he was being pulled. Clarke jumped out of the back followed by Kelly then the criminal with a look of pure hatred on his face. That look matched by the scowl on Severide's.

Kelly threw Clarke's hand off of him and launched back at the criminal who had frightened his sister to the core. He was on top of Keeler beating the man's face to an unrecognizable pulp.

Halstead stepped in pulling Kelly off with both hands, Keeler taking advantage of the reprieve, landed a boot to the midsection sending cop and fireman flying back. Severide took that as a signal for another go at the thug. He threw himself back on top of Keeler this time wrapping both hands around his throat. Vince returned the favor. Halstead was not havin' it.

"Get off! I'm gonna drag your ass to jail!" he yelled at the lieutenant.

Erin's raspy voice was almost gone. She'd been yelling to no avail the entire knock down drag out.

"You're not arresting anyone. Get off him!" she yelled at Jay pulling him away. Erin pulled at Kelly's shoulders, prying Keeler's hands away.

Kelly jumped off the beaten criminal, breathing heavy, feeling like he could go twenty more rounds. He strode off towards his truck, Erin in pursuit.

Shay watched her best friend storm off then turned to Rafferty who began working on Keeler. She wouldn't be lifting a finger on this one she decided. She smiled a little seeing the criminal's bloody lip, swollen eyes, nose a broken mess of red. She looked at the deep bruises around his neck and felt her grin spreading slightly. She coughed to avoid the laugh rising from her throat.

"Kelly, hold up. Kelly." Erin was almost running trying to catch up.

"Not now, Erin. Just leave me alone," Kelly paced back and forth at the back of squad's truck, shaking his hands out little splatters of blood hitting the pavement.

"Come here," she said reaching for his arm.

""Give me a goddamn minute! That too much to ask!"

"Hey, I'm on your side!" She grabbed his arm not taking no for an answer, forcing her will on Kelly.

Erin led him to her car, opening the back seat for him. She got in on the other side. It was just the two of them in the back, silence except for Kelly's heavy breathing. It was slowing down. She put a hand on his leg looking at him visibly gain control...not seeing Keeler helped bring Severide's blood pressure down from boiling.

"You okay?" she asked looking at his hands, his neck.

"Yeah," he answered avoiding eye contact.

"You sure?" she asked again.

"Yeah," he repeated.

Erin swatted his leg hard.

"Ow!"

"If you ever pull a stunt like that again, I'm gonna drag your ass to lockup!" she began swatting his leg for the second time.

"You could have been, been..." she continued, voice breaking. "You c- c - ould have b-b-een k-k-illed." Erin said the words she'd pictured since Kelly jumped into the back of the car. She saw the car plunging over the side every time it screeched and moaned. She saw Kelly going over with it. Erin was a ball of wound up tension, raw emotion now ready to unleash. She felt herself breaking.

Kelly did what he always did when faced with a crying woman... he pulled her in tight letting her bury her head deep in his chest, feeling the rise and fall of her shoulders jerking up and down with sobs. He rubbed her back, stroked her hair, saying, "sssshhh." There would be no apologies on this day. He couldn't say sorry for something he would never take back.

She pushed off of his chest letting his bloodied hands try to wipe the wetness from her face. She took his face in both her hands.

"If something happened to you, I- I..." Erin's voice broke.

"I love you. Kelly, I love you so damn much."

"Me too, Erin," answered Kelly.

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**Finally! Well, do you think it'll last? Interesting to see where the show goes with all this. Our wait's almost over - ChiFi back on this week! **


	13. Chapter 13

**Last chapter, and I so hope you enjoy! This one begs a sequel...someday. Next up - another tag team effort with mom2jlg called A Deal with the Devil. Be on the lookout for it, coming soon. Well, enjoy this last bit of Lindseride awesomeness. **

* * *

Keeler was being held in jail..no bail this time. Flight risk. No shit, thought Kelly.

They could all breathe a little easier for the time being. Thinking about the trial was another story. Katie having to rehash her ordeal was not something anyone was looking forward to. Kelly coming face to face with that animal again was also something no one wanted to see. Especially Erin.

She was doing this relationship thing with Severide... going for it, whatever IT was, fully committed, even said the L word. It didn't come naturally. She didn't know if it would ever flow off her tongue, but she knew it was a huge step. It felt good.

Seeing the look on Halstead's face the first time he heard her say it on the phone was priceless. He almost choked on his coffee, spewing it all over the dashboard of his car.

Kelly'd hung up, but Erin continued the one sided conversation...

"Yes, snuggle bug. I love you more. No I love you. No I do." she giggled into the phone.

"You're screwin' with me, right? He's gone, right?" asked Jay feeling a little sick.

"Yeah, he's gone. You can close your mouth and lose that 'toss your cookies' look," Erin laughed gruffly.

"Jesus, how much longer before I'm goin' to a wedding?" asked Jay only half joking.

Erin's turn to choke on her coffee. "Uh, don't be bookin' us a honeymoon just yet, asshole," she rasped out, still coughing from the coffee that slipped down the wrong tube.

At 51 things weren't quite as on edge. A couple of would be gang bangers were caught setting a fire...turns out they were the firebugs lighting up the city, making things exciting for the house. Boden was relieved they had no connection to firefighting, just a bunch of punks looking for a new thrill.

Kelly didn't want to jinx anything, but he had to admit that things were good. The best he'd had in a long, long while. He didn't think he needed Erin to say she loved him, but now that she had, he wouldn't have it any other way. Key to happiness, pretty goddamn simple, he thought...good friends, family, beautiful girl on your arm to love, everyone healthy. Yes, nothing complicated there.

"Hey, Kel. Wanna grab a drink after shift?" Shay asked.

"Yeah, what's up?" asked Kelly knowing his best friend had something on her mind. "Everything okay?"

"Everything's good. Just wanna hang out with you," answered Shay wrapping her arms around him. He kissed her on the forehead knowing something was definitely up. He also knew he'd have to wait for tonight.

The marriage comment from Jay stuck in Erin's mind all day. Festering a little, working it's way into her gut. Wedding comment...whatever the hell it was. Why would he think that, she wondered. Have I been giving off a wanting to get married vibe, she worried. Jesus, does Kelly think I wanna get married? Does he want to get hitched?

Halstead knew he'd said the wrong thing when Erin's brow stayed furrowed all day and her mouth shut in a firm line, barely saying three words to him the entire shift. He was ready to get far, far away when they went their separate ways for the night.

"Have a good night with the fireman. Sorry if I overstepped earlier. Didn't mean nothin' by it," he commented lamely heading into the station to wrap up paperwork.

"We're not getting together tonight. It's not like we see each other every day," said Erin.

"Sure. Well, have a good night." Jay quickly strode in feeling like he'd dodged a bullet.

Two texts from Kelly.

"Sorry we can't have dinner. I'll stop by after?"

"Call me when you're off?"

Erin stared at her phone. She texted back.

"Beat. Long day. Raincheck?"

"Sure. I'll call you after dinner. To hear that sexy voice."

Erin didn't respond. Her brain was too busy creating scenarios of ridiculousness thanks to the comment from her partner. What are Shay and Kelly up to tonight? Why so important? Is he planning something? Before her birthday surprise, he'd gotten Shay's help. Now what? A proposal? Ring shopping? Shit.

Erin got home, poured a huge glass of wine, and drew a bath. Early to bed, erase all those crazy thoughts, wake up refreshed, and not crazy anymore, she told herself.

She finished off half the bottle feeling the drowsy, tipsy pull of sleep. She closed her eyes letting go of her temporary insanity. Her phone buzzed once. A text.

"Aaahh," she groaned rolling over to take a look.

"I'm heading over now. Big news." Kelly. Shit.

Erin almost fell out of her bed scrambling to throw on jeans and a T-shirt. Why the hell am I getting dressed, she asked herself. She put on a pot of coffee hoping that would clear her mind.

By the time Kelly arrived, Erin was a complete mess,

"What's wrong?" Kelly asked seeing the look on her face, the messy hair, half the pot of coffee gone. "What happened?" His news could wait. Erin was obviously upset.

Kelly took her in his arms feeling the tension in her body, wound up so tight. He rubbed her shoulders, neck, not feeling any of it release. "Babe, what's wrong. Talk to me."

"Kelly. I think we need to slow it down a little. We barely know each other and everything's going so fast," the words were sputtering out of her mouth too fast to reel them back in. Seeing the crestfallen look in his eyes, feeling his hands drop to his side, Erin regretted what she said instantly.

"What the hell do you mean we barely know each other?" asked Kelly his temperature rising to boiling. Blindsided did not begin to describe what he was feeling. We barely know each other? What the hell? He hadn't felt this sucker punched since...when? Since Renee Whaley screwed someone else three days before their wedding day.

"I just don't want us rushing into anything. You know, moving too fast, screwing up what we've got," Erin backtracked.

"No, I don't know what you mean. I love you. Thought you felt the same." Kelly wanted to get the hell out of there. Now. Stupid ass. Shoulda known this was coming. Always comes, he thought.

"If you're breakin' up with me, just do it," he said louder than he meant to.

No, no, no. This is not what I'm doing, thought Erin, but no words came out.

Kelly backed out of her apartment not quite believing that he was being dumped. What the hell had gone wrong? What the hell had he done?

Erin's legs finally moved running after Kelly. "Wait! Wait!" she yelled reaching him before he got to his car. "Come back in, please. Let me explain," she pleaded pulling at his arm. Explain. How to explain her particular brand of crazy, that'd be rich, she thought.

"Erin, I get it," said Kelly pulling away.

"No, you don't! Jay was saying..."

"This has to do with Halstead! I don't give a shit what he was sayin'!" yelled Kelly determined to get in his car.

Erin stationed herself in front of the driver side door, effectively blocking the lieutenant's escape route.

"No, listen to me! This doesn't have to do with Jay! He just mentioned something about us... Can we do this inside?"

Cut and run. That's all he wanted right now. Instead he turned around and headed back in.

"Can we just start this whole conversation over?" asked Erin taking Kelly's jacket trying to ensure he'd stay long enough for her to explain, try to explain.

"Okay. Go." said Kelly.

"I didn't mean what I said. I don't want to change anything. Everything's good. More than good," Erin began.

"You said we were goin too fast."

"I know. I just meant I want everything to stay the same."

"I'm confused," said Kelly calming down considerably.

"Jay said we'd be having a wedding so, or something like that and I kind of panicked, or something."

Kelly sat there stunned. He had no words. This was the last thing he thought she'd say.

"Sorry to disappoint, but I didn't go ring shoppin' with Shay tonight," he said smiling a little. He'd managed to find someone more afraid of commitment than himself.

Erin laughed uncomfortably, embarrassed with the whole evening.

"I'm almost afraid to tell you why I came over. Shay's movin' out. I'm not asking you to move in, so you don't have to tell me it's over, or shoot me or something." Kelly chuckled a little.

Erin forced a small laugh disgusted with herself. That was the perfect word. It's like I try to sabotage this good thing at every turn. How many times before he gets tired of my bullshit, she wondered. The look on his face said this wouldn't be the the time.

"If you want to leave a toothbrush, just one, that'll be okay. I'm drawing the line there," teased Kelly. He could go from zero to boiling in half a second, but he could do the reverse also. He'd learned a few things over the past few years...anything good was worth fighting for, might require some effort.

"Haha. Funny. Kelly, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I am the way I am. I can't believe you want to bother with all my shit." She'd wanted to hold him the minute he came back in. She moved toward him slowly. He pulled her in.

"You're worth it," he said seriously. "Play your cards right and I might let you leave a change of clothes."

Erin laughed shaking her head. "Wait, so there's no ring?" she looked at Kelly's face glad she'd salvaged the night, glad they weren't done.

He shook his head no deciding to let everything go for the night. They'd have some ice cream. He would tell her about Shay's plan to move in with Dawson who was going through her own crap...becoming a firefighter no piece of cake, neither was a relationship with Casey. Katie coming in for his birthday next month. He made them promise nothing extravagant, please keep it low key and don't let my sis spend any money.

The night ended with them in each other's arms, limbs crisscrossing over each other. Erin fell asleep last, looking at the peaceful rise and fall of the fireman's chest. The storm was over...but the detective couldn't help but feel that it was always two steps forward, one step back with her. This felt like a definite step back.

The next few weeks flew by with the couple falling into their easy routine, not mentioning the awkward night. The intelligence team was a frenzy of activity locked in on a new drug ring with a bad batch of heroin. The drug had already taken the lives of six people, one a famous actor. That's what got the team involved, a deadline laid out for them. High profile cases...Voight hated them. One life more important than another? Yes, according to his higher ups. So the pressure was on.

The firehouse had its share of losses also. More victims pulled out dead rather than rescues. It had been a tough couple of weeks.

Voight's call came in on a late night run. They'd just pulled a young couple out of a mess of twisted metal that was once a car. Both rushed off to Lakeshore, critical. The minute Kelly saw the call was from Voight, he knew it was bad news.

"Voight, what happened?"

"Get to Lakeshore. Erin's been shot." Voight's voice was gruffer than ever. It sounded like gravel being run over by a truck.

Kelly couldn't ask how bad, what happened, nothing. Voight was gone. He told Boden and Shay. Then he was gone too, rushing off to Lakeshore.

He entered the familiar hospital a rush of emotions, so many bad things had happened there. Darden, Shay, Hallie, Casey. None of it good. Some worse than others. This was gonna be okay, he told himself looking for Voight, Halstead, someone from PD. Voight saw him first.

"Severide. We know nothin' yet. They have her back there and no one's sayin' jack." Voight looked like he was going to jump out of his skin. Halstead was sitting in a chair head in his hands.

"That's bullshit," said Kelly taking off to the nurse's station. Boden wasn't there to stop him.

"Detective Lindsay was brought in here. Can you tell me anything?" Kelly's voice was calm but the look on his face said something very different. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

The nurse on duty put her hand on Kelly's knowing this was a loved one he was frantic about. "Let me check, sweetie. I'll be right back." She gave the fireman another pat on the hand.

Voight was watching in disbelief. That bitch hadn't moved one muscle when he demanded to know what was happening with Erin. Now, she was pattin' hands. What the hell.

Kelly was pacing back and forth mumbling something. Voight and Halstead joined him. The two younger men shook hands quickly.

"You can come on back. She's going to be fine," said the nurse smiling and looking directly at Kelly.

"Thank you. This is her father and brother, so they really need to go back too. Is that okay?" Kelly asked.

"I guess," she said doubtfully, giving Voight the stink eye.

"Brother?" whispered Jay bringing up the rear.

They were led to a curtain, Kelly hesitating a little before drawing it back.

"Go on," said the nurse smiling at the lieutenant.

He opened the curtain and the sight of Erin lying so pale and small in the bed caused Kelly to feel the breath suck out of his body. He strode to her side stroking the top of her head, tears welling in his eyes. He wiped them roughly away with the back of his hand. He knelt down to get next to her face, the warmth of her breath on his face so comforting.

Voight stationed himself on the other side of the bed taking Erin's hand in his.

She opened her eyes, seeing Kelly first.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Ssshhh, don't talk," Kelly whispered back. "God, Erin," he said softly, dropping his face into her covers next to her arm. She stroked the back of his head, running her hands through his hair.

"I'm okay," she whispered.

A young man who looked more like a college student than a doctor entered carrying a chart, smiling.

"She is going to be alright," he said to the worried men surrounding the beautiful brunette.

Kelly stood up, exhaling loudly.

"Bullet went through her side, didn't hit anything vital...made more of a mess than anything."

"Told you I was a mess, Severide," Erin whispered laughing a little at her own joke. Sorry she did. "Aaahhh," she groaned grabbing at her side. Kelly dropped down again to be right next to her.

"We're keeping you overnight. You may want to avoid jokes for a couple of days," the doctor joked. Voight gave him a stare letting him know this was no joking matter.

"Um, we'll need to be wary of infection and she'll need help getting around for a few days, maybe a week."

"That's no problem," said Voight gruffly, taking hold of Erin's hand again.

"She's comin' home with me," said Kelly flatly still kneeling at Erin's bedside.

"I want that," said Erin softly before Voight could respond. She loved that Kelly didn't take any shit from Hank. She loved that he wasn't the least bit intimidated. She loved him.

"I wanna go home with you Kelly. I may never leave," she closed her eyes wanting some more pain relief. The doctor called for a nurse knowing what Erin needed.

"You guys go home," said Erin. "I'm gonna be out in a few minutes," she continued letting the morphine wash over her.

"I'm parkin' it right here," Kelly said getting up to drag a chair next to her bed.

"Yes," muttered Erin. "Don't leave." The pull of sleep took her under leaving the three men staring at the beautiful patient.

Voight and Halstead reluctantly left with Hank vowing, almost threatening, to be there bright and early. They both embraced the fireman on the way out bonded, at least for one night, with their love for Erin.

She was taken to a room about an hour after the cops left with Kelly settling into another chair. Sleep would not come for several more hours for the fireman.

The next morning Kelly awoke crick in his neck, back killing him, but thanking God that Erin was alive and going to be just fine.

His stretching and cracking awoke Erin who felt ten times worse than she did the night before. Kelly was calling for the nurses before she could ask for anything.

"You ready to go home with me?" he asked doubtfully seeing how pale and weak she looked.

"Yes. Thanks for doing this, for taking care of my crazy ass," she said quietly.

"It's such a great ass though," Kelly teased. "You've got me for a week."

"Hmmm, at my beck and call for a whole week? I could get used to that."

Erin was finally released around three, loaded down with antibiotics and pain relievers. Kelly drove as slow as he could trying not to jar her at all on the ride to his place. He gently carried her up the stairs and to his bed.

He sat softly on the side of the bed, stroking her forehead, lightly pushing the hair out of her eyes.

"I'm really okay," she said for the hundredth time. "I'm one tough cookie." She smiled at him taking his hand in hers.

"You're not that tough," he said, a part of him hurting for her, wishing he could trade places with her.

"You know I planned this," she whispered forcing a smile. "This is just what I need. A week off with you, just the two of us."

"You're just what I need," said Kelly worried expression covering his face.

"Me too," started Erin. No, that wasn't good enough, she thought. That's not what I mean.

"You are just what I needed." Jesus, that sounds so past tense, thought Erin loopy from the meds. "No, I mean just what I need now."

"Well, you got me for the whole week," answered Kelly going to get her some water, small smile forming with her talk that didn't quite make sense

"Wait. You're just what I need for this week and, uh, more. Much more. I love you, Kelly Severide."

"You got me for much more, Erin Lindsay. You got me for however long you want." Kelly turned to run down to the kitchen not wanting to leave for even one second.

"How 'bout forever," said Erin to the empty room.

Kelly peeked his head back in. "Sounds good. I'm gettin' your water then we'll talk about that forever thing."

Erin could hear Kelly laughing down the stairs as she rolled to her good side, letting the heaviness of her eyes win out. She closed them thinking about that word "forever." It has a nice ring to it, she thought, finally allowing sleep to pull her under.

Kelly was thinking the same thing.

* * *

**You know I had to give him a happy ending...at least for now. Hope you liked it. Definitely fun to write!**


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